Last year, 147 benefitted from Goa government’s scheme for publishers

PANAJI: The road to seeing your literary creation on the shelf of a bookstore is tough and sometimes long. In a bid to ease the journey and give local writers a platform, the Goa government had launched a special scheme, one that provided financial assistance to authors and publishers.
In the year 2017-18 alone, a total of 147 publishers availed of this scheme, figures shared by the department of art and culture revealed.Any Goan publisher is eligible for the scheme, provided the writer of the book is of Goan origin.

The book is required to be 100% original. An anthology/compilation or works of translation are not considered. Following the publication, up to 300 books are purchased by the art and culture department, subject to a condition that the total amount does not exceed Rs 50,000.
“With the help of the government grant, many writers in Goa have been able to publish their books and promote their literature locally. On our part, we ensure that we distribute some books given to us to local libraries to further their readership,” a cultural officer at the department told TOI.
Launched in 2008, the scheme was initially open to authors as well. From 2016-17 onwards, an amendment in the scheme limited the financial aid to publishers only. Despite this change, the number of Goans sanctioned this grant shows the increasing interest in writing and publishing literature.
“The scheme gives a boost to budding writers when they come to us with a manuscript. The department of art and culture, however, should purchase more books instead of limiting themselves to 300 copies,” publisher of Margao-based Radha Ganesh Prakashan, Eknath Naik said. Naik had published a few titles under this scheme.
Another publisher, who availed of the scheme on three occasions, said, “There is a lot of hard work and creativity that goes into publishing a book, part of the cost of which is borne by virtue of this scheme. I have received up to Rs 20,000 for my books on children’s educative literature. In case of novels, some publishers have received a grant of up to Rs 40,000.”