To perpetuate the rich legacy of Bhagwan Valmiki in every nook and corner of the world, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday announced a budgetary grant of Rs five crore annually for already existing Bhagwan Valmiki’s Chair in Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU).
In recognition to the immense contribution of Valmiki community in the overall development of the State, the Chief Minister also announced to establish a chair in the name of legendary Sikh Warrior Shaheed Baba Jiwan Singh (Bhai Jaita ji) and a devout companion of Dasmesh Pita Guru Gobind Singh, who carried the severed head (sheesh) of Guru Tegh Bahadur from Chandni Chowk, Delhi, to Anandpur Sahib braving all odds amid tyranny unleashed by the then Mughal regime.
The Chief Minister, addressing the gathering during the state-level function, greeted the people on the auspicious occasion of pragat divas of ‘Karuna Sagar’ Bhagwan Valmiki. The Chief Minister said that the upcoming Baba Jiwan Singh Ji’s chair would also be given an annual grant of Rs five crore every year to undertake extensive research on the teachings and philosophy of the iconic Sikh warrior. Exhorting the people to follow the path and high ideals shown by Bhagwan Valmiki so as to carve out an egalitarian society, the Chief Minister urged the people to further strengthen the ethos of peace, harmony, brotherhood and amity, which was the need of the hour.
Making a firm resolve to fill over one lakh vacant posts in different departments shortly, Channi said that all these vacancies would be filled purely on the basis of merit in a fair, impartial and transparent manner. He also warned the aspirants and their parents not to fall prey to the nefarious designs of unscrupulous elements by giving them money.
The Chief Minister said that the Cabinet had recently taken a landmark decision to abolish the prevalent system to recruit Group-D employees through outsourcing and in future such employees would be recruited only on a regular basis like other categories of employees.
Taking a dig at those who blame his Government for giving freebies at cost of State’s exchequer, the Chief Minister said that he was crystal clear in his approach to spend people’s money on people’s welfare. Slamming SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal and former Minister Bikram Singh Majithia for their open loot of state exchequer, Channi said: “At least, I am spending Government funds for the betterment of poor and needy, as compared to Akalis who plundered state through illegal means in pursuance of their personal narrow interests.”
Ridiculing Aam Aadmi Party for misleading the people by making false promises in the guise of aam aadmi, Channi said that Congress high command had actually demonstrated its will to install a common man with humble background as Chief Minister in the letter and spirit.Conceding the long pending demand of the Safai Sewaks, the Chief Minister announced that these employees would be given a weekly off besides making them entitled for all gazetted holidays at par with other government employees. Realising plight of poor and economically weaker sections of society, the Chief Minister also said that detailed instructions had already been given to all Panchayats to allot five-Marla plots to houseless people and complete entire process shortly. The Chief Minister also announced that he and his Cabinet colleagues and MLAs would personally light earthen pots (diyas) on day of Deepawali to handover symbolic possessions to eligible beneficiaries under Basera Scheme.
