Cabinet Minister visits villages of Patiala district, resolves issues on the spot

Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh encouraged villagers to rise above party politics and to elect their panchayats keeping collective welfare in mind. He said the state government had announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for villages that elected panchayats unanimously and another Rs 5 lakhs would be contributed to such villages in the Patiala rural constituency. Thus, Rs 10 lakh will be dedicated to village development.

Today, during his visit to villages in the Patiala rural constituency under the ‘Tuhada MLA, Tuhade Vichkar’ programme, Dr Balbir Singh interacted with the residents.

Addressing them, Dr Balbir Singh said the state government had decided to hold panchayat elections without party symbols, a move aimed at ending factionalism, promoting holistic development and benefiting the broader public. He added villages electing their panchayats unanimously would not only receive Rs 5 lakh from the state government but would also benefit from additional infrastructure such as a stadium, school, or hospital.

At Lubana Teku village, Dr Balbir Singh said a 20-acre pond in the village would be developed as a tourist destination. He noted that the blueprint for this project had already been prepared, and work would begin soon. The pond’s water will be used for irrigation, helping conserve the groundwater table.

Dr Balbir Singh urged the residents to plant more trees and maintain cleanliness. He assured solid and liquid waste management systems, as well as school improvements, would be implemented in the villages.

During an informal interaction with journalists, Dr Balbir Singh said Rs 225 crore in insurance payments had been pending from the Centre since 2018. He added he had personally met with the Union Health Minister to address the issue, and the necessary utilisation certificates had already been submitted. Punjab health officials are scheduled to meet with Central authorities in Delhi on Monday to expedite the matter.