Date:05/07/2002 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2002/07/05/stories/2002070504080400.htm

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Textbook supply by month-end

By Our SpecialCorrespondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM July 4. The Education Minister, Nalakath Soopy, has said that textbooks of standard eight will be made available to all students by July 31.

Responding to a calling attention motion by A. K. Balan (CPI-M) in the Assembly today, Mr. Soopy said only 27 lakh copies remained to be printed.

These would be printed and distributed this month, he added.

The Minister said the delay in supply of the books was on account of the intervening strike by Government employees, strike in the Kerala Books and Publications Society (KBPS) and Audio- Visual and Reprographic Centre (AVRC) and paper shortage.

The total number of books needed this year came to 3.33 crore. Of this, 1.65 crore copies were available in stock. Out of the remaining copies, only 27 lakh remained to be distributed, he said.

The Edication Minister said no substantive change had been made in the textbooks of standard eight.