VOICING PROTEST: Office-bearers of the association of textbook suppliers display the list of publishers shortlisted by the Government in Hyderabad on Friday. — PHOTO: P. V. Sivakumar

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Publishers and Book Sellers' Association has criticised the Government for outsourcing printing and distribution of textbooks to schoolchildren in the State.

Talking to newsmen here on Friday, association general secretary D. Vinod Kumar urged the Government to make arrangements for supply of textbooks as the three publishers entrusted with the task were not going about the job in a systematic way causing hardship to parents and students.

The State Government outsourced printing and distribution of school textbooks for the first time ever this year.

With the deadline of May 31 long over, the textbooks were yet to reach booksellers and students.

There were nearly 1,100 mandals and 3,000 booksellers in the State and so far only one distribution centre was set up in the form of Praja Book depot, he said. "Prices of books have been increased. Parents are doing the rounds of shops in vain while schools were pressurising students to get books," said Mohd. Rafiq of Himalaya Book Depot in the city.

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