Education first, no more free pilgrimage: Manpreet

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 21

With educational institutions across the state struggling for funds, there will be no free pilgrimage. The ‘Mukh Mantri Tirath Darshan Yatra Scheme’ stands scrapped, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal told the Punjab Vidhan Sabha today. He was replying to a query by Firozepur MLA Parminder Pinki during Question Hour.

He said a sum of Rs 139.38 crore was spent on providing free travel to pilgrims during 2016-2017 under former CM Parkash Singh Badal’s pet project, even as Panjab University was seeking funds and Baba Farid University of Medical Science and Health Care needed Rs 40 crore to overcome financial crisis. Also, Sainik School Kapurthala had not received funds for the past 10 years.

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Preferring religious tourism to promoting education, Manpreet said the previous SAD-BJP government had organised 484 bus trips to Chintpurni, 1,191 to Salasar (Rajasthan), 337 to Anandpur Sahib, 6,481 to the Golden Temple in Amritsar and 223 to Patna Sahib. Besides, special train trips were organised for Nanded Sahib (87), Varanasi (18) and Ajmer (3).

In response to a question by MLA Kulbir Singh Zira, Social Security and Women and Child Development Minister Razia Sultan suggested a time-bound inquiry into disbursal of old age pension to identify "fake" beneficiaries.

Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa said his department would hold a Vigilance probe into encroachment of panchayat land in Mohali. Earlier, MLA Balbir Sidhu had hinted at SAD leaders aiding influential persons in grabbing land.

To a question by MLA Darshan Singh, the Finance Minister said a barbed wire fencing in the lower Shivaliks — from Pathankot to Laltu — to keep wild animals at bay would be completed within five years.

Akali MLA Pawan Tinu pointed to the incomplete sewage treatment plant (STP) in Adampur. In response, Minister for Local Government Navjot Singh Sidhu said not one of the 64 STPs were functional. "Not even 2 per cent of treated water is going to the fields. I assure the House that all STPs will be working within a year and a half," he announced, even as Akali MLAs stormed into the well of the House, raising slogans. They later staged a walkout.

Health Minister Brahm Mohindra, replying to a question by Sanaur MLA Harinder Pal Singh Chandumajra, said: “The earlier SAD-BJP government has left us with newly constructed buildings that are empty and state-of-the-art machines but none to operate these."