Book Fair : Dip in book stalls but positive
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 08 2012: Even though the forthcoming annual Imphal book fair organised by state Central Library is expected to see a slight reduction in the number of participants (book stalls) organisers are confident that the 10-day event would be able to live upto the expectation of the State's book lovers.

While conveying that this time around a publishers-writers meet would be held as a part of the Fair commencing from December 15, a source in the State Central Library said about 80 book stalls, including firms from outside Manipur, would be taking part in the Fair this year.

The previous year had a total of 105 stalls displaying/selling various books, including academic, literature and reference books, said the source while contending that fair organisers had already intimated to firms from bigger cities for adequate stocking of books to enable the student community as well as ordinary citizens possess their choicest ones.

noting frequent problems of text book shortages faced by students here, the source said equal emphasis of the Fair would be on helping students of CBSE-affiliated educational institutions have access to the prescribed text books along with similar stress to enable them find reference books.

Even though the source did not explain on what ground the upcoming fair at Hapta Kangjeibung will have comparatively less number of stall runners, it is informed that for the 21st edition of the event, the Art and Culture Department has approved allocation of Rs 8 lakh compared to Rs 5 lakh for the previous year's Fair.

Apart from the publishers-writers' meet, the Hapta Kangjeibung event will have interaction programmes with personalities from the entertainment business including film and drama artistes.

It is also informed that the 2011 Fair had a total sale of books/literatures worth Rs 40 lakhs.

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