Minister flags off marathon

Our Correspondent

Sonepat, January 24

Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology organised the 5th quarter marathon (10.5 km) in Murthal today. The marathon was organised to celebrate the 134th birthday of Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram.

Mamta of Tika Ram Girls College and Rahul Chhikara of Tika Ram Boys College were adjudged the best runners.

Union Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Birender Singh flagged off the Marathon from the main gate of the university.

Around 1,500 students from different educational institutions participated in the marathon.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said Chhotu Ram was an educationist, lawyer and a leader of the masses during the pre-independence days. “He is still remembered as a champion for farmers and other poor sections of society,” he said.

RP Dahiya, vice chancellor of the university, distributed cash prizes: Rs 5,100, Rs 3,100, Rs 2,100 and consolation prize of Rs 500 each among the winners. He exhorted the students to adopt the principles of Deenbandhu to make their life successful and to serve the needy people of society.

While interacting with mediapersons, the minister said under the national cleanliness programme, all the villages in the country would be provided with toilet facilities by 2019.

He said in order to make the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) Scheme more effective and transparent there was a plan to link it with Aadhar cards, so that the amount would directly be credited into the account of the beneficiaries.

He said the role of middlemen would be eliminated after the process.

In reply to a question about the release of Indians, who had been held captive by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), he said the government had been making serious efforts for their release. He parried the question on the alleged involvement of a BJP MLA in a rape case. He also claimed that the BJP-led NDA Government had started various welfare and development projects in the country.

Dr Asha Kadian, vice chancellor of BPS Women University in Khanpur Kalan, RK Arora, registrar of Murthal University, Pritam Siwach, former Indian woman hockey captain and Veer Gulia, international volleyball player were also present.