Guwahati: The Assam government has declared 2025 as the ‘Year of Reading’ with the objective of promoting a reading culture, supporting young writers, and encouraging literary engagement across the state.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made the announcement on social media, stating that the initiative aims to “incentivise reading and bring back the culture of books to the mainstream.” A poster highlighting key programmes under the campaign was also released.
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As part of the initiative, the state government will provide a grant of Rs 25,000 each to 1,000 young writers. The grants are intended to support creative, academic, and research-based writing. The selection process is expected to consider innovation, linguistic diversity, and regional representation.
The government will also organise district-level and co-district-level book fairs (Grantha Melas). Each district headquarters will receive Rs 5 lakh, while co-district centres will be allocated Rs 2.5 lakh. The Assam Publication Board will oversee the execution of these events.
To encourage reading among government employees, a Rs 1,000 book grant will be given to each staff member. Additionally, books will be used as official gifts in place of conventional souvenirs at government events.
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The campaign will include literary festivals, book marathons, and reading sessions across schools, colleges, and public institutions. Events are planned in major cities including Guwahati, Jorhat, and Dibrugarh to promote public participation.
A budget of Rs 259.70 crore has been allocated for the establishment of 2,597 modern libraries, covering all 2,197 gram panchayats and 400 municipal wards in Assam. These libraries will be equipped with books, furniture, internet facilities, and will be linked to the National Digital Library.
The initiative has received support from educators, authors, and publishers, who view it as a step toward strengthening reading habits and literary activity in the state.