OdishaPlus Bureau
Padhiary Pathagara and Information Center, one of the oldest libraries of the state, located at Choudhury Bazar here will soon get a face-lift. Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Minister Raghunandan Das who visited the library on Monday, assured to develop its existing infrastructure to make it an excellent library and information center of the state.
“All the long-standing issues including the infrastructural deficit and staff crunch that have been hindering the development of the library will be addressed,” said Das after reviewing the infrastructural status of the library and information center functioning under I&PR Department.
After inspecting Women and Child Section, Study Reference Section, Special Newspaper Reading Section, E-library Section and digital display system for displaying news twice daily, the Minister directed the officials to repair and restore the LED Video Wall on a war-footing basis which at present is not displaying clearly.
The minister also urged the concerned authorities to adopt technology in the library to enhance its readership.
Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani, who was also present in the review meeting, said that the district administration which has already planned for installation of a telescope at the library would extend all possible assistance towards developing the library and information center.
Attending the review meeting, Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) Commissioner Ananya Das volunteered to take responsibility for designating a special place in the library for poor students where they could take coaching for different competitive examinations, including the civil service.
The Padhiary Pathagara and Information Center was established in 1958 in the memory of Prana Krushna Padhiary, a great freedom fighter. Later, in 1960 it was taken over by Cuttack Municipality and subsequently by the State Government’s Information and Public Relation Department. The library, with around 933 registered members, houses around 20,000 books. More than 100 readers daily visit the Pathagara having lending library facilities.