Punjab School Education, Higher Education,Technical Education and Information & Public Relations Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Sunday unfurled the National Flag to mark 76th Republic Day at Police Lines ground, Hoshiarpur. Paying rich tributes to great martyrs and freedom fighters of Independence movement, Harjot Bains urged the people to make concerted efforts for realising their dreams.
After unfurling the tricolour during district level function held at local police lines ground, Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains inspected the parade, besides taking salute from an impressive march past. He also honoured families of freedom fighters; and distributed motor-tricycles and sewing machines to needy people.
In his address the Minister acknowledged the contribution of brave soldiers of three forces and other armed forces for their immense contribution in safeguarding the inity and integrity of the nation. He also paid rich tribute to Dr B.R. Ambedkar, an architect of Indian Constitution, asserting that with implementation of Indian constitution on January 26, 1950, India had achieved an honour of becoming one of the largest democracies in the world.
Recalling role of Punjabis in the freedom struggle, the Minister said our history had been filled with the historical events like Jallianwala massacre. He added that it is a matter of pride that maximum number of martyrs of national freedom struggle belonged to Punjab.
Cabinet minister Harjot Singh Bains asserted that Punjab government is fully committed to fulfil the dreams of great martyrs. “After taking oath at ancestral village of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, the government had got photo of Sardar Bhagat Singh and Dr B.R. Ambedkar installed in all the government offices.Apart from ensuring Mohali’s international airport to be named after great martyr Sardar Bhagat Singh, Punjab had installed the statue of Shaheed-e-Azam at the airport.
The Minister also highlighted the Punjab government's initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of army personnel, martyrs' families, and retired soldiers, including the increase of ex-gratia payments for martyr’s families to ₹1 crore and providing financial support of ₹1 crore to the families of police personnel who sacrifice their lives in the line of duty.
The State government had also enhanced financial assistance to Dharmi Faujis (Army Deserters) from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12000 per month, besides increasing monthly pensions to the freedom fighters or their kins from Rs 9400 to Rs 11,000.
Listing other achievements, Harjot Singh Bains said the government had provided government services to nearly 50,000 youths in past 34 months and held 4,862 placement drives in which 2.72 lakh youths were given jobs in private sector. More than 10,000 youths were recruited in Punjab police from April 2022 onwards.
The state government had opened 881 Aam Aadmi clinics, said Minister, across the state providing quality healthcare services. Bains said as many as 118 school of eminence were established, of which five were located in Hoshiarpur district only.
From April 2022 onwards, 10,376 teachers had been recruited in education department. As many as 198 school principals and school administrators were sent on special training at Singapore, 150 head-masters at IIM Ahmadabad and 72 primary school teachers at University of Turku, Finland.
Speaking on School of Happiness , Bains said nine scuh schools would be established in Hoshiarpur district and nearly 81,749 students enrolled in government school across the district were provided with funds worth Rs 4.90 crore for school uniform. The funds worth Rs 12.52 crore had been provided for the construction of boundary walls of primary schools in the district.
Meanwhile, Cabinet minister assured that the state government is committed to overcome shortage of teachers in Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Tarn Taran districts very shortly. He congratulated the district administration after Hoshiarpur district was adjudged with Best Green District Award in the country under Centre government’s green school programme scheme.
In technical education, the state government had increased seats in state to 52,000 this year after receiving enthusiasm for m different streams in these industrial institutes. Bains said that 1076 helpline launched by the state government to provide citizens services at the door steps of the people also provided services in a smooth manner.
On state’s agriculture, Bains said Punjab’s mandi system has been remained at the top in the country as the state leads to contribute maximum of 46.8% of wheat in the central pool. The area under basmati had increased by 14% last year. Due to concerted efforts of state government, the state witnessed a steep drop of 70% in the cases of stubble burning and only 75 cases of straw burning were reported in Hoshiarpur district.
Referring to Sadak Surakhya Force, a first of its kind initiative of state government, had come up as life saviour in Punjab as it provided immediate assistance to the accident victims in 19,000 cases so far, with response time of 6.45 minutes.Meanwhile, cabinet minister Bains also announced holiday in participating schools and colleges.
Prominent among those present on the occasion included MLAs Bram Shanker Jimpa, Jasvir Singh Raja Gill, Karamvir Singh Ghuman, Mayor Surinder Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Komal Mittal, IG (Intelligence) Babu Lal Meena, SSP Surendra Lamba, District planning committee chairperson Karamjit Kaur and AAP’s district president Gurwinder Singh Pabla and dignitaries from different fields.