Punjab’s three Cabinet Ministers, on the occasion of Eid, went all out to woo the State’s small Muslim community.
Opening the State treasury to present “gift” to the community, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal announced Rs 1 crore on behalf of the state government for the Eidgah at Malerkotla.
Manpreet further listed that the Congress Government’s first budget, passed by the Vidhan Sabha recently, has major announcements to provide every necessary facility to the Muslim community.
This includes Rs 3 crore for Urdu academy at Malerkotla, Rs 10 crore for graveyards in the State and benefits under various welfare schemes, he said while appealing to the people to strive for providing higher education to their children.
Giving his warm wishes to the Muslim community on the occasion, local Government and Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu announced Rs 50 lakh for Eidgah from his fund. He also assured regarding making Malerkotla a district by the Congress Government.
Sidhu also said that the promise of establishing a Government medical college at Malerkotla would also be fulfilled.
“The Muslim community would be accorded proper respect in the Congress Government,” he said.
The State Public Works Department (PWD) Minister and local MlA Razia Sultana thanked the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and Finance Minister for taking significant decisions concerning Muslim community in the budget.
She said that the promise made by the Chief Minister to accord district status to Malerkotla would be made good soon.
The trio reiterated, “The forces which are out to disrupt the atmosphere of communal harmony in the State would not be allowed to succeed in their nefarious designs at any cost.”
On the occasion, Sidhu, Manpreet and Razia Sultana were honoured by the Intezamia Committee Eidgah and various other institutions.