Mysuru:  The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) may be thinking of levying yet another cess. But one of the cesses it is already collecting — the library cess — is not being put into much use as the money is still pending in MCC coffers. The MCC owes a whopping Rs. 17 crore to the Department of Public Libraries (DPL).

While the MCC is leading the group of non-remitters of library cess, other local bodies in Mysuru district owe Rs. 60 lakh and 268 Gram Panchayats have to pay Rs. 7 crore to the DPL.

According to Karnataka Public Library Act, urban local bodies have to levy a cess of 6% on property tax, which they are then required to hand over to the DPL.    

However, the local bodies including the MCC have not remitted most of the funds they have collected since years. Actually, the library cess is used by the Department for development of libraries, including building construction, clearing of vendors’ dues, telephone bills and stationery costs. Due to this, the DPL is already starved of funds and most of the money received by the State Government in the budget allocation goes towards the staff salaries and miscellaneous expenditure.

“City libraries depend on money collected as library cess from property tax for expenditure on newspapers, periodicals, rent, furniture and even telephone bills. And the MCC has not paid the cess collected to the DPL. Many letters and reminders have been sent to the MCC and the civic body has not cared to give us our share of money,” Chief Librarian of City Central Library B. Manjunath who is also the Deputy Director, Department of Libraries, Mysuru told Star of Mysore.

Department officials say that the MCC has been keeping the money with them since years. “Whenever we officially ask for the pending money, the MCC gives us just Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 60,000. It is, however silent on the Rs. 17 crore. Even the State-level Library Department Directors and the State Chief Secretary have directed MCC to remit pending amount. Still, the MCC is sitting on our money,” said library officials.

Not only the MCC, but other local bodies too have not remitted the library cess to the DPL. Eight local bodies in Mysuru have to pay Rs. 60 lakh and the 268 Gram Panchayats in the district have to pay Rs. 7 crore. Among them, Nanjangud GP has to pay Rs. 10 lakh, Hunsur GP – Rs. 29 lakh.

“Even the City Libraries Authority has to pay lakhs of rupees to the Library Department and we actually do not have the record of the exact amount that is pending as the Authority has not submitted the information on Demand, Collection, and Balance (DCB),” said officials.

Manjunath added that the Mayor is the Chairman of City Libraries Authority while the Deputy Commissioner is the Chairman of District Libraries Authority. “A meeting will soon be called with the Mayor and the DC where the pending amount will be discussed,” the Deputy Director said.