Karnataka expands partnership with British Council to strengthen Panchayat Arivu Kendras

Karnataka’s Rural Development and Panchayat Raj (RDPR) Department has expanded its partnership with the British Council to strengthen English language learning, library services, and knowledge access in rural areas through the State’s Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras (Knowledge Centres).

Under this expanded collaboration, the number of British Council Library Corners in Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras will be increased from 10 to 70, with 60 additional centers being established across the state. As part of the initiative, the British Council will provide 3,000 children’s English books and extend free access to its digital library resources, enabling rural readers to connect with global knowledge platforms and curated English learning content.

The expanded partnership agreement was signed on Thursday under the chairmanship of RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge and Deputy High Commissioner Chandru Iyyar, between Karnataka Panchayat Raj Commissioner Dr. Arundhathi Chandrasekhar and British Council’s South India Director Janaka Pushpanathan.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Priyank Kharge highlighted the importance of strengthening rural knowledge infrastructure and expanding access to English language learning for young people across the state. He said, “Gram panchayat libraries have evolved into vibrant Arivu Kendras — centres of learning, curiosity, and knowledge for rural communities across Karnataka. During the pandemic, these libraries became critical learning spaces for children, and by offering free membership to those in the age group of 6 to 18 years we have brought over 5 million young readers into this ecosystem”.

“For many young people in rural Karnataka, English language skills are an important pathway to higher education, employability, and social mobility. Our partnership with the British Council helps bring high-quality English learning resources, books, and digital content closer to these learners,” he said.

The Minister emphasised that Karnataka is building one of the largest rural knowledge networks in the country through its gram panchayat libraries. Currently, 5,884 Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras are functioning across rural Karnataka, and plans are underway to establish around 6,600 additional village libraries, creating a network of over 12,000 rural libraries across the state, he pointed out.

These centers are equipped with computers and internet connectivity, enabling access to digital learning resources, online training sessions, and enrichment programs that can reach children and learners across thousands of villages simultaneously. The State government transferred the management of gram panchayat libraries from the Department of Public Libraries to the gram panchayats under the RDPR Department since March 1, 2019. Since then, these libraries have been upgraded as Arivu Kendras, designed as community knowledge hubs offering services such as digital learning resources, career guidance systems, constitutional literacy initiatives, assistive technologies for persons with disabilities, and opportunities for knowledge sharing by skilled resource persons.

More than 5 million children are registered members of Gram Panchayat Arivu Kendras, where regular activities are organised to support children’s learning and personality development.