CHENNAI: Under the Directorate of School Education, a Kalaignar centenary library has been announced to come up in Tiruchy district at a cost of Rs 290 crore.
As per a department notification, the library will come up at 1.85 hectares proposed by the Directorate of Public Libraries. Along with the library, an intellectual centre has also been planned for the district.
Of the total cost, Rs 235 crore has been allocated for the library building, electricity and utilities, Rs 50 crore for books and eBooks and the remaining Rs 5 crore for the purchase of technical devices.
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, during the National Librarians' Day event in August, noted that the new library will be a boon to Tiruchy residents.
Meanwhile, the Kalaignar Centenary library inaugurated in Madurai in July 2023 has been witnessing high reception among the public. However, readers, especially those preparing for competitive exams, have sought better facilities.
Likewise, the department has planned a similar largescale library in Coimbatore for which Rs 300 crore has been allotted. A science centre will also be opened alongside the library, which has been planned to come up in Gandhipuram. More than six acres of land has been marked for the project at the central prison grounds.
In February, Chief Minister MK Stalin had assured the assembly that the library work will be completed by January 2026.