Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday laid the foundation stone of the State’s first dedicated Sports University and a bus stand, along with various other development projects in Patiala, on the auspicious occasion of Dussehra that also coincide 129th birth anniversary of his grandfather Maharaja Bhupinder Singh on whose name the varsity has been set up.
The projects, launched at two separate events, include surface water-based water supply for Patiala city (Rs 503 crore), development of a Heritage Street near Qila Mubarak (Rs 43 crore), new bus stand on Rajpura Road (Rs 65 crore), and widening of the same road (Rs 6.74 crore).
The Chief Minister also handed over keys to few selected beneficiaries of the EWS housing scheme constructed by Patiala Development Authority (PDA) at Haji Majra (next to the Cantonment). Of the 174 flats constructed there, 124 have been allotted on Sunday.
Capt Amarinder also urged PDA and Local Government to ensure that all of Punjab’s economically weaker section (EWS) is provided affordable housing, saying that he would be personally monitoring progress of all ongoing and new projects.
The Chief Minister extended Dussehra greetings to the people of Patiala, which, he said, had suffered a lot due to COVID-19. He urged them to take all precautions amid projections of a second spike in November-December.
The Maharaja Bhupinder Singh Sports University will be developed at a total cost of Rs 500 crore, of which Rs 60 crore will be invested in the initial phase for the development of academic and administrative blocks, boys and girls hostels, and boundary wall and internal roads in the campus.
“The university will help in scientific development of sportspersons,” said Capt Amarinder adding that he wanted to see Punjab develop as a sports hub and its sportsmen and coaches equipped with scientific knowledge.
He thanked the Panchayat and people of Sidhuwal, who had contributed land free of cost for the Sports University. They had earlier donated land for the Law University and have now also offered another 100 kilas for any other project, said the Chief Minister, announcing Rs 50 lakh grant for Sidhuwal, which has developed itself as a model village.
The Chief Minister also assured that despite COVID problems, Punjab Government would provide more funds to the university for the speedy completion of its works.
He expressed the hope that staff and students will be able to move into the campus by 2022 to benefit from the multiple courses, many of which are adopted from UK’s Loughborough University, whose VC Lord Sebastian’s video message was telecast at the foundation stone laying event.
Sports Minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi announced that the Government will provide jobs to the people of Sidhuwal and education to their children. He also suggested to declare the village, with its two major universities, as a model gram panchayat. The CM also announced several other projects to be initiated soon, including Rejuvenation of Patiala and Chhotti Nadi at a cost around Rs 200 crore. He further asked the Patiala Administration and Corporation to quickly start the work of grant of malki haq (proprietary rights) to Slum Dwellers to implement the law passed by the State.