Karnataka's Department of Public Libraries (DPL), managing 1,131 public libraries, last bought books in 2021 and hasn’t purchased any in the last four years. This delay is due to local bodies not transferring the collected Library Cess regularly. The DPL faces a massive outstanding of ₹526.83 crore as of March 31, 2025. Local bodies should have transferred ₹827.42 crore by then, including the 2024-25 cess and past dues. But only ₹300.59 crore was paid. The biggest defaulter is the old Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which had ₹691.85 crore in dues but paid ₹230.81 crore, leaving ₹461.04 crore unpaid. This amount will now be split among the five new corporations formed in September 2025. Mysuru is the second major defaulter with ₹20.49 crore outstanding. This information was shared by Karnataka's School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa during the recent Winter session of the Legislature in Belagavi, answering MLC A. H. Vishwanath’s query. Kannada publishers, hit hard by the lack of new book purchases, are planning protests. They accuse the DPL of negligence in pushing for cess recovery and library upgrades. "Our sources say that the DPL hasn’t even written a single letter to the Urban Development Department over the last two years, asking it to transfer Library Cess they collected," said a publisher. Publisher Srushti Nagesh added, "DPL owes ₹6.86 crore to publishers and writers for books already bought. It has made little effort to collect the library cess, paralysing the entire department. Despite repeated requests and a recent meeting promising resolution in 20 days, no action has taken place. We may soon protest against the government." Minister Bangarappa said the DPL is finalising procurement of books published in 2022. A proposal to form a selection committee for books published in 2023 and 2024 is also underway and will be set up soon.