The latest addition to Bathinda’s educational landscape is already on its way to becoming a roaring success. Formally inaugurated last Sunday, the modern and high-tech District Digital Public Library has been open since September last year, steadily drawing hundreds of students, researchers, and competitive examination aspirants from Bathinda and neighbouring districts.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann formally inaugurated the library on January 11, stating that the project was completed at a cost of ₹9 crore. Spread across 1.26 acres near City Centre Mall, the G+2 building with a basement has a seating capacity of over 350 students at a time and a covered area of 23,456 square feet.
The library houses a collection of over 25,000 books covering academic subjects, reference material, and preparation resources for competitive examinations ranging from clerical cadre exams to the National Defence Academy (NDA), Combined Defence Services (CDS), Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), and other state and central services.
The library houses a collection of over 25,000 books overing academic subjects, reference material, and preparation resources for competitive examinations. (Express Photo)
The fully air-conditioned, heat-insulated facility includes study booths, a stationery shop, a cafeteria, and multiple reading halls spread across four floors—each with dedicated seating areas and separate exit gates, the library management revealed.
The response from students has been overwhelming, librarian Swarnjit Kaur said. “We have around 900 registered members so far, while the seating capacity at a time is 350. Students are allowed to carry their own study material inside as the RFID system ensures security. If any library book is taken out without being issued, sensors at the main gates start beeping,” she said.
“Every floor has ovens where students can keep their lunch boxes to heat them free of cost and can eat them outside in the open gazebos or cafeteria. Eating inside is not allowed,” she added.
Designed as a technology-driven learning space, the library has high-speed Wi-Fi and LAN connectivity on all floors. A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled system ensures secure and efficient book issuance and return, theft prevention and inventory management through the Koha Library Management System (an open-source integrated library software used globally for digital cataloguing, book circulation and member management). Entry to the library is biometric-based, and digital kiosks have been installed for automated book transactions.
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Designed as a technology-driven learning space, the library has high-speed Wi-Fi and LAN connectivity on all floors. (Express Photo)
Membership requires a monthly fee of ₹600 along with a one-time security deposit of ₹1,000, of which ₹500 is refundable at the time of surrendering membership. Members are allowed to issue up to three books at a time for a period of 14 days, which can be reissued if required.
According to Kaur, a majority of students using the facility come from rural backgrounds. “Students are travelling daily from villages in Bathinda, Muktsar and Mansa districts, which are 40-50 km away. Some students have also shifted to PG accommodations in Bathinda while preparing for competitive exams and are using the library as their primary study space,” she said.
The digital infrastructure also enables students to check real-time seat availability, register online, pay fees, and browse the catalogue through a public dashboard. Administrative dashboards allow district officials and librarians to monitor daily footfall, seat occupancy, revenue generation and book usage patterns, enabling data-driven decision-making.
The library is open from 8 am to 10 pm on all days, barring a few holidays.
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Credit tussle
While the Aam Aadmi Party government is projecting the library as one of its major achievements in strengthening education infrastructure, former Bathinda Urban MLA and ex-minister Manpreet Singh Badal claimed credit for the project, calling it his dream initiative.
Badal, who joined the BJP in January 2023 after quitting the Congress, had laid the foundation stone of the library on June 5, 2021.
In a post on X dated August 31, 2025, Badal said, “Proud to share that the Bathinda Public Library, an initiative we envisioned in 2021, is now complete. Set in the heart of the city, this state-of-the-art facility stands as a testament to our commitment to education, learning, and youth empowerment”.
“In an era where knowledge is power, this institution will serve as a beacon for students, researchers, and lifelong learners across the region. This is more than just a building, it’s a promise to our youth, and a step toward a more informed, enlightened future,” the post further stated.
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Public Works Department records show that although the foundation stone was laid in June 2021, actual execution of the project began in May 2022. The library was opened for public use in September 2025, while its formal inauguration took place more than four years after the foundation stone ceremony.
The maintenance of the library will be carried out through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, officials said.
Mission Pragati launched
The Punjab government has also launched its flagship free coaching programme under Mission Pragati at the Bathinda District Library. Speaking at the inauguration, CM Mann said the initiative aims to support meritorious students, particularly from rural areas, who lack access to quality and affordable coaching facilities.
Explaining the structure of the programme, Mann said that 40 students have been enrolled in the first batch. “Along with academic coaching, students are also being provided with physical training so that they are fully prepared. Physical training is being imparted by experienced instructors from the Punjab Police and the Centre for Training and Employment of Punjab Youth (C-PYTE) at the C-PYTE ground,” he said, adding that students will be prepared for various competitive and other state and central recruitment examinations.
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Mann said students enrolled under Mission Pragati will be provided essential study material and expensive competitive exam books free of cost through library membership. “The programme has been launched using existing infrastructure and resources, leading to significant financial savings,” he added, describing it as a ‘youth helping youth’ model where mentors are themselves candidates who have appeared in competitive examinations.
