752 rural libraries in Gujarat to be connected via the ‘Gramin Gyan Setu’ app
Amit Shah launched the ‘Gramin Gyan Setu’ app in Gujarat on August 12, 2026, aiming to connect 752 rural libraries within the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency and provide knowledge resources to rural youth. This initiative will foster a reading culture, ensure equitable access to knowledge, and promote educational development in the Gandhinagar, Kalol, and Sanand regions. Based on a ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ model, the system connects local libraries to four major libraries, granting access to a collective pool of approximately 2.80 lakh books and competitive exam study materials. Special vans, funded by MPLAD, will facilitate the distribution and collection of books in villages every fortnight, thereby strengthening the book circulation system in rural areas.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched the ‘Gramin Gyan Setu’ app in Gujarat via video conferencing on August 12, 2026. The primary objective is to provide rural children and youth with access to extensive knowledge resources and to integrate rural libraries. The initiative is being implemented in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, with plans to interconnect 752 libraries.
Rural Education and Access to Knowledge
The project covers villages across the Gandhinagar, Kalol, and Sanand assembly constituencies. The plan emphasizes developing central libraries near schools in each village. Its broader aim is to promote a reading culture, ensure equal access to knowledge, and foster the educational development of children and youth in rural areas.
Hub-and-Spoke Model
‘Gramin Gyan Setu’ operates on a ‘Hub-and-Spoke’ model, connecting rural-level library units to four major libraries. Through this network, users gain access to a collective collection of approximately 2.80 lakh books. The collection also includes study materials for national-level competitive examinations.
Book Distribution System via MPLAD
This project utilizes special vans funded through the MPLAD (Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme). These vans will visit villages every fortnight. The book circulation system will be kept dynamic by collecting previously distributed books and delivering new ones—registered via an app—to the villages. This initiative will help connect rural libraries, which often have limited resources, to a larger book collection.
The Role of Knowledge, Parents, and Librarians
This initiative goes beyond merely providing books; it focuses on the productive use of citizens' leisure time and the promotion of reading habits. It emphasizes the crucial role parents play in their children's education and intellectual development. Additionally, it highlights the importance of fostering a desire for information, subject comprehension, and mastery of knowledge through the guidance of competent librarians.
National Library Day and S.R. Ranganathan
This initiative is also linked to National Library Day, observed on August 12. S.R. Ranganathan is regarded as the father of library science in India; National Library Day is celebrated on August 12 to mark his birth anniversary. He was awarded the Padma Shri for his contributions to library science. For UPSC aspirants, this fact is significant in the context of the Indian education system, knowledge resources, and social development.
