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The West Bengal Chief Minister, Ms Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday defended the State government's move to restrict the number of newspapers to be subscribed by the State libraries. It was to promote lesser read dailies, she said.
In an interview to a Bengali news channel, she said: “The move by the Department of Mass Education, Extension and Library Services is a very small issue. It has been blown out of proportion. The move was taken mainly to promote the smaller newspapers.”
According to Chief Minister, the decision to buy eight newspapers was taken keeping in view the measly fund of Rs 19 crore allocated to the mass education department.
A March 14 circular by the department restricted the purchasable papers in the 2,500-plus State libraries. The allowed papers were Sangbad Pratidin, Sakalbela,Khabar 365 Din, Ekdin, Dainik Statesman, Sanmarg, Akhbar-e-Mashriq and Azad Hind .
New additions
Meanwhile, the State Library Minister, Mr Abdul Karim Chowdhury, in another interview to a private news channel said that five more newspapers were added to the list.
The new additions are one English daily, The Times of India , two Bengali dailies Ajkal and Kalam , one Nepali daily and a Santhali language ( Alchiki ) daily.
ayan.pramanik@thehindu.co.in
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