India, Sept. 2 -- The Bihar government has stepped up the digitisation and preservation of manuscripts under the Centre's Gyan Bharatam Mission, with more than eight lakh manuscripts identified across all 38 districts of the state, a minister said on Wednesday.

The nationwide mission aims to digitise and preserve ancient texts. In Bihar, the government is focusing on documenting rare palm-leaf and paper manuscripts held in libraries, museums and private collections.

"An administrative approval for expenditure of Rs 6.23 crore was granted earlier this year to accelerate conservation and digitisation of manuscripts. More than eight lakh manuscripts have been identified across 38 districts of the state following an extensive survey," Bihar...