In an apparent attempt to woo the State’s minority community ahead 2017 polls, Punjab Government has decided to set up ‘Masih Bhawan’ at Amritsar and Gurdaspur.
Besides, the departments of local Government and Rural Development have also been directed to provide land for the graveyards for both Muslim and Christian community within next two months.
The directions were issued by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal during a meeting with a delegation of Punjab State Minorities Commission led by its chairman Munawar Masih at his official residence on Wednesday.
Badal said that to recognise enormous contribution of Christian community to strengthen the bonds of peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state, these bhawans would be set up.
For the same, Deputy Commissioners of Amritsar and Gurdaspur have been asked to immediately find out suitable sites for these Masih Bhawans and get its layout plans finalized so as to initiate the construction work forthwith.
Chief Minister also asked the departments of local Government and Rural Development to provide land for the graveyards for both Muslim and Christian community within next two months.
Badal also said that the state government was committed to provide land to these communities free of cost for the construction of graveyards.
He also gave instructions to all Deputy Commissioners to earmark suitable land in rural as well as urban areas in their respective districts for this purpose and in case the land was not available, they should immediately initiate process for the purchase of land.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal also asked the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to start the process of filling vacant posts in minority commission as the state government had recently enhanced the number of members from five to 10.
likewise, he also agreed to the demand of delegation to designate more marriage Registrars for the registration of marriages under Christian Marriage Act, 1872 and asked the Home department to expedite the process in this regard.