It is one of the most public oriented book promotional scheme attracting readers to buy books of their choice at half price. Besides, promoting reading habit, it encourages the overall book industry, help increasing literacy rate, create reasonable demand for good quality reading material and motivating young generation towards developing reading culture in the society. The scheme in its previous phases ensured providing this facility by registration of upto 16310 members each year on first come first basis.

            The project is on going and had already completed three phases extending the facility to approximately more the 200000 members. The approved parameters further include launching the scheme through advertisement. The capital cost involved expenditure on salaries of 3 employees along with the visit to each station for better monitoring and implementation inline with the parameters. It further includes cost on advertisement, postage, purchase of vehicle and computer unit besides subsidy to the member on purchasing books from the approved outlets at each station.  Only during the fourth phase  i.e. 2003-04 to 2006-07 the scheme has registered approx 70000 members.

            Under new phase (Vth Phase)  the facility will be extended to approx 34000 members  during the period of two years i.e. 2007-08 to 2008-09.  The ceiling of each member has also been increased from Rs.2000/- to Rs.3000/- with the increase in subsidy being allowed to each member.  The number of destinations to which facility is to be provided has been extended from 47 stations to 51 while the number of booksellers to be registered as approved sale outlets facilitating readers to purchase books shall be around 150 throughout the country.

            For smooth implementation of the project regular visits of the staff all over has also been considered to keep close check and continuous monitoring of the project.  These includes surprise checks to the booksellers as well as the stations implementing the project.  NBF own staff shall look after the affairs of the scheme at all stations where NBF has its own Branch/Regional office or Bookshop.  However, for all remaining stations where NBF has no office of its own shall be supervised through the assistance of AIOU staff for which provision of remuneration to them has been taken into account.