Shri Arjun Singh Inaugurates ‘Nehru Bhawan’, the New Premises of National Book Trust, India NATIONAL ACTION PLAN FOR THE READERSHIP DEVELOPMENT AMONG THE YOUTH BEING DRAWN BY THE NBT
	18:40 IST

Shri Arjun Singh, Union Minister of Human Resource Development, here today inaugurated ‘Nehru Bhawan’, the new office premises of the National Book Trust, India. The NBT had recently shifted to this new office situated at Vasant Kunj, Phase-II, New Delhi. He unveiled a ceremonial plaque to formally inaugurate the building. Shri Arjun Singh also unveiled a portrait of Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, the First Prime Minister of India and the founder of the Trust. On this occasion, nine titles brought out in different Indian languages under the special Golden Jubilee Anthology Series of the Trust, were also released by the Minister. Four books in Braille were also released on the occasion. Speaking about NBT’s National Action Plan for the Readership Development among the Youth (NAPRDY), Shri Arjun Singh said, “I am indeed happy to learn that the Trust is in the process of drawing up a National Action Plan for the Readership Development among Youth, that segment of population which forms the highest and most energetic group in our country. I hope that with the help of the educationists, academicians, intellectuals, publishing community, youth leaders, social activists and other stakeholders, a feasible and far reaching Action Plan for readership development among the youth can be devised.” NAPRDY will begin with a national survey among the urban and rural youth between the age of 10 and 30 to ascertain the Readership Status, Pattern, Trends, Attitudes etc among the youth. Shri Singh also touched upon the issue of FDI in Indian publishing and the technological changes. He also said that National Book Development Council has been set up by the HRD Ministry to look into the broad issues of Indian publishing industry. -------- KKP/ska