PNS/
 
Punjab Government will support the youngsters starting business ventures, besides organizing ‘Naujawan Sabha’ (youth meeting) twice a month where the youngsters can share their business ideas with the Chief Minister, and seek necessary help.
 
Announcing this in his virtual address on Wednesday, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stressed that the state’s youngsters should become job providers instead of job seekers.
 
Mann, giving a clarion call to the state’s youth to ‘become their own ideal’, exhorted them to don’t allow anyone to play with their emotions as such mischievous elements disappear after fulfilling their vested interests.
 
“Punjab Government will provide complete support to all of you for starting new ventures or startups,” he announced.
 
Taking a major decision for the welfare of Punjab’s youth, Mann announced that he will hold ‘Naujawan Sabha’ meetings with youth twice a month for a direct dialogue with them. “The purpose of these meetings is to directly interact with the youth and get their feedback and suggestions so that the Government can formulate policies suitable for them to start new businesses and undertake other innovative initiatives,” he said.
 
Stating that Punjab’s youngsters have talent and potential to excel but do not get enough opportunities, Mann said: “Punjab Government will provide you with all facilities. We will not let your ideas remain undeveloped because of lack of funds. The government will provide you with the funds. You establish start-ups and start small businesses. I want that the youth of Punjab should be job providers and not job seekers.”
 
Making an emotional appeal to the youth, Mann said that AAP Government will leave no stone unturned for ensuring that youth of the state get the required platform and support. He pledged to provide a holistic environment for utilizing the innovative ideas of youngsters for the growth and prosperity of state.
 
“My target is to ensure that the youth of Punjab are not branded as 'aimless'. I want you to be your own role model, therefore, no one else can take advantage of your abilities and potential,” he added.”
 
Describing Punjab’s youth as skilled, capable and determined, he said, “The youth have thousands of dreams to shape their future but it is a pity that they are not provided with adequate opportunities to fulfill their dreams. Punjab Government will give fulsome support to our youth to start new businesses.”
 
Mann said that the state’s youth are full of new and innovative ideas that can be helpful for the growth and prosperity of Punjab.
 
Urging the youth to acquire higher education to get top positions, the Chief Minister lamented that in the age of technology, Punjabi youth are least interested in acquiring the skill knowledge for better vistas of employment. “The admission rate in Punjab Technical University has staggeringly dipped to only 35 percent. Similarly, in Lovely Professional University, 40,000 students are pursuing higher education but only 5,200 students are from Punjab,” he said.
 
Mann said: “It is my heartfelt wish that the youth of Punjab should not become job seekers but job givers. The youth of Punjab will reach to higher positions and not be coerced to go to jails.”
 
“Due to work culture in foreign countries, Punjabi youths have proved their mettle by sheer hard work, resilience, and perseverance,” he said, adding that they have managed to establish and expand their businesses more than the foreigners.
 
Mann said: “People are ready to spend Rs 25 lakh to Rs 40 lakh to emigrate to other countries…and these countries have achieved the status of developed countries because of their work culture only”.
 
Sharing experience from his personal life, Mann said: “I get up at 5 am every day…I work for more than 12 hours every day for the betterment of Punjab and even on holidays, I attend meetings along with handling government files. Every day, I try to take some new initiative or decision for the welfare of Punjabis so that we can make Punjab a progressive state soon…We need to develop a work culture.”