Libraries in Punjab villages usher in in a silent revolution

# Civil services aspirants are choosing to stay on in their villages and study thanks to the 200-odd reading rooms that have cropped up in Malwa villages In October 2024, Manpreet Sharma, a resident of Lopon village in Moga district, achieved a milestone by securing the 83rd rank in the 2023 UPSC reserve list. Currently undergoing training, Manpreet attributes much of his success to the village library that played a pivotal role in shaping his career. The library in Lopon, developed in 2016 by US-basedNRI Baldev Singh Dhaliwal on his agricultural land spanning 500 square yards, has become a source of inspiration for many. It fosters a culture of reading and learning in the village. The library is part of the six established under the Mera Pind 360 Degree project by NRIs and Punjab residents in different villages across the state. “Dhaliwal manages this library with his own funds, and the facility is free for readers,” said Malhan Lal Garg, a retired superintending engineer from the irrigation department. The story doesn’t end here, as the Punjab government is also stepping in to promote rural libraries. Many old rural buildings are being renovated into libraries by the Department of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Minister Tarunjeet Singh Sond stated last month that the government has so far renovated 114 rural libraries, with another 179 projects in the pipeline. Karandi, a village in Mansa district located at Punjab’s border with Haryana, is one such example. In September last year, the dilapidated village panchayat building was renovated into a library following demands from the villagers. “Students in the village wanted a library, so the panchayat building was renovated. Earlier, they had to rely on a private reading room in the village that charged a monthly fee. This government facility now provides them with a free alternative,” said Mansa Deputy Commissioner Kulwant Singh. [Libraries in Punjab villages usher in in a silent revolution](https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/punjab-library-lopon-9781569/)