The Ministry of Culture provided an overview of library development programs in India through a written reply in Rajya Sabha. Public libraries function under State/Union Territory authorities as libraries are a state subject per the Constitution's Seventh Schedule.
Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation (RRRLF), an autonomous organization under the Ministry of Culture, implements schemes for promotion and development of public libraries nationwide. RRRLF provides financial assistance for infrastructure development, library services, reading resources, and capacity building through both Matching and Non-matching schemes. This support covers construction/renovation of library buildings, procurement of books and reading materials, purchase of furniture and equipment, and improvement of library infrastructure. Assistance is also provided for strengthening ICT-enabled library services and digitization of copyright-free manuscripts, rare documents, and heritage materials where admissible under scheme guidelines.
The Ministry also implements the National Mission on Libraries (NML) Scheme, which provides financial assistance for setting up NML Model Libraries. This includes one State Central Library and one District Library in each State/UT as recommended by state authorities, plus six additional libraries identified by the Ministry of Culture.
Under the NML Scheme, the Ministry has implemented the National Virtual Library of India (NVLI) through the Indian Culture Portal (www.indianculture.gov.in) to provide a platform for digital preservation of diverse cultural artifacts and create awareness about shared heritage.
The National Archives of India has digitized approximately 19.7 crore pages, with the digital repository currently hosting around 74.7 lakh reference media files accessible through the Abhilekh Patal portal (https://www.abhilekh-patal.in).