They may remain mute, but through their silent proddings they instil infinite wisdom in you. They may have no eyes of their own, but they make you see the world, its wonders and its countless opportunities in a way you would have never thought possible. These humble but true friends go by the name of books.
Books are among the best friends a man can have, and this is no understatement. Books have made huge contribution in making human civilization flourish. For a long time, humans have acquired knowledge from books-but what about the poor children who don’t have any access to these beacons of knowledge and wisdom? For such children, Jharkhand cadre IAS officer Mr. Suraj Kumar has come forward like a much wanted helping hand. With his efforts, scores of poor children are getting books and internet facility absolutely free of cost.
On the initiative of Mr. Suraj Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum, the administration is in the process of setting up libraries in the rural areas of the district. Mr Suraj has a deep connection with Singhbhum district; his own education took place here. He is well aware of the problems of the district, perhaps that is why he has taken many initiatives for the convenience of the common people. Mr Kumar’s dream is that the children of the district should progress by studying and writing.
LIBRARY AND INTERNET
Jamshedpur city also comes in East Singhbhum district. At present, the idea of building 30 libraries in this area has been mooted and they are to be prepared in the next 90 days. The administration plans to launch the libraries during Diwali.
In an exclusive conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr Suraj says, “There is no dearth of talent in rural areas, but there is a paucity of resources. At the same time, resources are plentiful in urban areas, but they are not being fully utilized. You see, the children of our state are very talented, but the quality of CBSE and ISC is often not available to them. To bridge this gap, we have started this work at our level. Children and people of urban areas often have many old books which are of no use to them now. But these books books can be of great use to the children of rural area, and we aim to bring these to them”
Mr Suraj further says, “We have identified 30 old community buildings (mainly community centers) to build the libraries, since these premises are not being used properly.We have floated tenders for repair and renovation of such buildings. After completion of the process, these will be converted into libraries. At the same time, to collect books, ‘book boxes’ are being kept in private schools, hospitals, markets, government offices and many other famous places in urban areas.We are urging people to donate books. Trust me, this initiative has got a very positive response.”
INTERESTING IDEA
Mr. Suraj has given many interesting ideas to his administration regarding the implementation of this initiative. One of these is to bring books through the garbage carts!
Mr Suraj explains, “Garbage carts go to pick up garbage in every area of the city early in the morning. Garbage is carried at the rear of the vehicle and there is a cabin in the front, where the driver and staff sit.We will entrust them with the responsibility of picking up the books of those who want to donate when they go to collect the garbage.”
Along with books, computers, printers, study tables and all other necessary things will be provided in the libraries for the children.
The administration’s plan is to have 20 libraries in each block of the district by the end of 2022. As there are 11 blocks in all, 220 libraries will eventually see the light of the day. As for funding for this venture, Mr Suraj points out that several influential and wealthy people in Jamshedpur have agreed to adopt these libraries.
