Spirit of freedom comes alive

Gurvinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 16

Students touched an emotional chord with the audience as they depicted how brave jawans happily laid down their lives for the sake of the country by weaving patriotic songs from Bollywood movies to bring out the tales of their bravery and patriotic spirit for the country.

NCC cadets, NCC Air Wing, NCC Girls Battalion, Scouts and Guides, Punjab Police jawans and other groups of uniformed men marched in perfect synchronisation across the track at Guru Nanak Stadium as Health Minister Brahm Mohindra acknowledged their salute by reciprocating it during the district-level Independence Day celebrations at Guru Nanak Stadium here yesterday.

He stood beneath the fluttering National Flag, he hoisted and unfurled a while ago. While students decked the spectator stands, some of which remained empty throughout the function, they appreciated and applauded the students who presented the cultural programme on patriotic songs.

Attired in colourful dresses, students presented several songs. The performance was finally capped by giddha and bhangra performances. Organ Donation campaign, which is going to be run by NGO GLODUS (Gift of Life-Organ Donation Awareness Society) was also launched as the minister signed the first Organ Donor Card.

More than 50,000 youths would be given jobs during a mega job fair in Mohali soon, said Health Minister Brahm Mohindra.

He said youths who registered during the campaign of the Congress government would be given opportunities so that they find employment.

Mohindra claimed that 90 per cent drug problem of the state has been resolved. Special Task Force was formed to curb this problem. Parents in affected areas, especially border areas, are relieved. He said more de-addiction centres are going to be opened in the state and rehabilitation of youths is going to be done.

He said: “Ludhiana, being an industrial hub, contributes to the growth rate of the economy of the entire country. Due to wrong policies of the previous government, the industry was going out, but it would return now as the electricity rate has been brought down to Rs5 per unit, which would help the industry come back and help in reviving the closed industries. He said Rs400 crore is going to be used to build Cycle Valley and 16 new industrial parks are going to be made. International convention and exhibition centre will also come up.”

To help revive the real estate, a regulatory authority has been made, he said, adding that for big projects, speedy CLU approval, single-window was going to be made under the ‘Build Punjab’ campaign of the government. Urban property registration stamp duty had been lessened to 6 per cent, he said, adding that the state government had decided that no name of ministers would be written on foundation stones of different projects.

“According to the manifesto, the government has committed five medical colleges and the first medical college will come up in Mohali. Speaking about his own portfolio of health, he said with the help of CSR, specialists would now sit in government dispensaries. Civil Surgeon and SMO, who are into administrative work, are also specialists and they would also do clinical work on Saturdays to help meet the shortage of specialists. He said he has proposed to the government that the salaries of doctors be increased so that the shortage of staff in dispensaries and hospitals could be lessened. He also pointed that that during the previous government, equipment worth lakhs was purchased, but was not used as no doctors and specialists were recruited to operator those. Several such machines in Patiala hospital were lying unused.

He said as people voted for the Congress government, they should also support them and as the government was working to deliver, which would take some time as it has just been five months since the government was formed.