Draft book promotion policy for protection to Indian publishers
Aimed at promoting the habit of reading books among people of all age groups, especially women and children, the Centre proposes to recognise publishing as a small scale industry or a priority sector. This will help books receive preferential treatment in fiscal policies, credit facilities, export-import regulations and incentives.
The draft National Book Promotion Policy of the Ministry of Human Resource Development suggests that the proposal be taken up with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
While sanctioning grants to libraries and institutions, it will be laid down that at least 50 per cent of the grant be used for purchasing books of Indian authors to protect the interests of local publishers.
Batting for public-private partnership in publishing of text books, the draft policy suggests that there be a proper system and mechanism to ensure the quality of books and facilitate distribution.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry should be asked to persuade the paper mills to bring down the cost of paper while the Ministry of Finance should be asked to take necessary steps to control the price of paper so that the prices of books remain affordable. In addition, the postal authorities will be asked to offer a most favoured treatment in the matter of postal rates on book packets.
The draft of the policy, as recommended by a task force set up by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, has been broadly approved by the Central Advisory Board of Education. It seeks to motivate and facilitate good writing, fine publishing and effective distribution of books, making them accessible to readers all over the country.
In addition to creating a website for providing a platform to locate good writers, the proposed policy will pay serious attention to author-publisher relations so that an equitable and transparent relationship is worked out between these two important segments of the world of books. “Each published book will be the outcome of an agreement between the author and the publisher. One copy of the agreement will be submitted to the Copyright Board and one copy to writer's organisations.”
Norms will also be worked out about submission of a manuscript, its acceptance or return, and the proposed time of its publication.
An important component of the policy will be a library movement wherein libraries across the country will be strengthened and upgraded, and new ones set up so that all individuals have access to good quality books. A substantial sum will be earmarked for this purpose.