Multiple Municipal Corporations across Kerala have defaulted on remitting crores of rupees collected as library cess to the State Library Council, pushing it into an unprecedented financial crisis.
Information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act by Kollam resident and former Kollam taluk library council president Mulavana Rajendran has revealed that local self-government institutions have systematically failed to transfer these statutory funds, which are collected alongside property tax from citizens.
Under the provisions of the Kerala Public Libraries Act of 1989, local authorities are legally mandated to levy a library cess as a 5% surcharge on property and building taxes.
According to official documents, the Kochi Municipal Corporation tops the list of defaulters, holding back a staggering ₹22.56 crore meant for library development. A year-wise break-up shows a mounting trajectory of non-remittance over the past four fiscal periods. The Corporation owes ₹2.76 crore for the 2022–23 financial year, ₹5.63 crore for 2023–24, ₹7.48 crore for 2024–25, and ₹6.69 crore for the recently concluded 2025–26 fiscal year.
Thiruvananthapuram is not far behind in its administrative lapse, with the city Corporation failing to remit ₹5.28 crore collected during the 2025–26 financial year alone. Although the capital city has cleared its dues for previous years, the current outstanding amount remains stuck in bureaucratic channels.
The Kollam Corporation has accumulated an outstanding liability of ₹3.83 crore spanning the last three financial years. This includes ₹1.22 crore from 2023–24, ₹1.22 crore from 2024–25, and ₹1.38 crore from 2025–26.
Similarly, the Kozhikode Corporation has failed to hand over ₹3.46 crore collected during 2024–25.
According to State Library Council officials, the issue extends far beyond just a few major Corporations. Several municipalities, including Palakkad, Alappuzha, and Muvattupuzha, as well as multiple district panchayats, have also defaulted on remitting the collected library cess.
“Civic body authorities are expected to transfer these funds to the State Library Council account within three months of collection. Crucially, the legislation stipulates that if a local body fails to remit the amount before the due date, the heads of the institution are personally liable to pay a penalty of 2% per month on the defaulted amount,” says V.K. Madhu, secretary, State Library Council.
Despite such strict provisions rendering secretaries and chairpersons personally accountable, authorities have failed to act, leaving the State’s public library infrastructure paralysed and unable to distribute essential book grants to local libraries. “We are currently preparing to initiate legal proceedings against the major defaulters,” adds Mr. Madhu.
Published - July 10, 2026 07:23 pm IST