..... Mr. Khalid Bashir Ahmad gave a brief account of infrastructure development in the libraries sector and said that construction of a multi-storey central library complex at M. A. Road, Srinagar was apace which, on completion, would meet the modern requirement of a central public library. The project, he said, is estimated to cost Rs. 17.34 crore. He said another double-storied library building in memory of the legendary 17th century Persian poet, Gani Kashmiri has been completed and would be thrown open for public shortly. He said construction of new buildings in Udhampur and Kulgam would be taken up before the culmination of the current financial year.

The new District Library building at Pulwama, Mr. Ahmad said, was completed at a cost of Rs. 72.50 lakhs and comprises General Section, Reference Section, Urdu Section, Children Section, Reading Room, RRRLF Section and Periodical Section. The library collection has been recently supplemented with 362 fresh titles, adding the total number of books available in the library to 16,137, he said, adding that these include as many as 3500 reference books. The District Library Pulwama was established as Tehsil Library in 1976 and upgraded to its present status in 1985.