Punjab Budget: Free bus travel for govt college students; Rs 100 cr allotted for smartphones for class 12 students

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 8

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Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Monday presented the state budget for the financial year 2021-22 in the state assembly.

Also read: Punjab Budget: 48,989 vacancies to be filled; 6th Pay Commission to be implemented from July 1

For the education sector, Badal announced a slew of new schemes:

• Two new medical colleges and hospital will be set up at Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur, entailing an expenditure of Rs 650 crore.
• Two technical colleges will be upgraded to universities
• 250 government schools to be upgraded
• Rs 140 crore allocated for digital education
• Rs 100 crore allocated to provide smartphones to students of class XII
• Fitness parks to be set up in all government schools and playgrounds.
• Rs 100 crore for up-gradation of Government Colleges
• Rs 1064 crore allocated for GNDU, Punjabi University, PAU, Rajiv Gandhi National Law university
• Rs 90 crore assigned to help waive off Punjabi University’s debt
• Rs 432 crore allocated for setting up Interfaith Institute at GNDU
• Rs 750 crore set aside for giving scholarships to 2 lakh students under Post Matric Scholarship scheme.
• All students studying in government colleges will be allowed free travel in government- run buses.

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