Punjab Government on Friday declared to observe the martyrdom day of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev and Shaheed Rajguru on March 23 as the ‘Youth Empowerment Day’ considering the popularity of three freedom fighters among the youth.
“I would also write to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to commemorate the March 23 as Youth Empowerment Day on national scale,” said the State Tourism, Cultural Affairs and local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday after inspecting the expansion project of Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Museum at Khatkar Kalan village.
Pointing that Bhagat Singh is a revered national hero, Sidhu said that the Punjab Government, considering him a youth icon, would institute ‘Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh Award for Youth’.
Handing over Rs 2crore sent by the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh for completing the expansion work of Museum to the local MlA Angad Saini and Nawanshahar EO, Sidhu instructed the officials present to ensure the completion of all works related to the electrical equipments and the lights by January 31.
Earlier, the Minister also paid homage at the statue of the martyr.
“I have also sought additional Rs 8 crore from the Union Government for the beautification of the surroundings of the Museum,” he said, while directing the Tourism and Cultural Affairs secretary Vikas Pratap to complete light and sound works by February 15.
He said that the Chief Minister would dedicate the Museum to public on March 23, and “the expansion work should be completed within the fixed time-frame and no laxity in this regard would be tolerated”.
Sidhu also announced Rs 5lakh for constructing a toilet block for the convenience of tourists near the ancestral house of the martyr at Khatkar Kalan village.
On the issue of some articles associated with the martyr not returned after being sent for display in an exhibition in New Delhi, Sidhu assured their return after getting the verification done.