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Chandigarh

Union Home Minister Inaugurates and lays the foundation stone of projects worth more than 6,600 crores in Faridabad

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IEP Chandigarh, October 27

Union Home Minister,  Sh. Amit Shah today inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of four projects costing more than Rs.6,600 crore in a programme organized in Faridabad.  Besides this, he also laid the foundation stone of the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor Project costing about Rs 5,618 crore and inaugurated Rail Coach Refurbishment Factory at Barhi in Sonipat district costing Rs 590 crore. 

The Union Home Minister also inaugurated the country’s first longest elevated railway track built at Rohtak at a cost of Rs 315.40 crore. Along with this, the Haryana Police residence complex at Bhondsi built at the cost of Rs 106 crore was also inaugurated by Sh. Amit Shah.  About 576 police families will be able to live in the police residential complex. 

After inaugurating various schemes and laying the foundation stone, the Home Minister said that all these development projects are Deepawali gifts from the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi to the people of Haryana. 

Earlier, Minister of State for Heavy Industries, Sh. Krishan Pal Gurjar and Haryana BJP President Sh. O.P Dhankhar felicitated Sh. Amit Shah by presenting flower garlands and a shawl.  Along with this, the Union Minister of Railways and Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw also received a warm welcome as he was also presented with a shawl.

Later addressing the gathering, Sh. Amit Shah greatly appreciated the work of the Haryana Government and Chief Minister. He congratulated the people of Haryana on the successful completion of 8 years of the Haryana Government. 

“Sh. Manohar Lal has completed his tenure of 8 years in a very successful manner. In these eight years, he has ensured the holistic development of the State.   Haryana Government under the leadership of Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal has done commendable work of transforming Haryana in these 8 years.  After a long time, since independence, Haryana has got such an honest and dedicated Chief Minister,” said Sh. Amit Shah.

Unlike the past, when the State used to get a Chief Minister either from Sirsa or Rohtak, our Manohar Lal had today become the Chief Minister of the entire Haryana, said Sh. Shah.

“If we recall the previous regime, corruption and lawlessness used to be the main issues but since the time Manohar Lal led government has taken the charge, not only did the corruption and lawlessness has ended but the state has also progressed swiftly on the path of development to bring Haryana to the top,” said the Union Home Minister.

He said that, Sh. Manohar Lal has taken care of all sections. While comparing the working style of the Manohar Lal government with the previous governments, Sh. Shah said that the tenure of our government in these eight years will always have an upper hand over the 50-year rule of previous governments.

During this, the Union Home Minister also mentioned the achievements of the Haryana government achieved in the last 8 years and congratulated his entire team including the Chief Minister.

He said that Haryana is the first state which has become smoke-free.  Every house in Haryana has a gas stove.  Haryana ranks second in terms of food grains and milk production. 

Haryana has stood first in National Games and Olympics.  The State has also become the first to have an educated Panchayat in the country.  Entire Haryana is open-defecation-free.  Haryana has been ahead in every field with a growth rate of more than 6 percent.  The growth rate of manufacturing has been 10 percent,” said the Union Home Minister while sharing the list of achievements made by the State Government. 

He said that 10 years ago Haryana had no identity in software exports, but today Haryana has become the second state in software export.  Every other vehicle on the road is made in Haryana, said Sh. Amit Shah.

Sh. Amit Shah said that a big change has come in Haryana in the last 8 years.  400 Fortune companies of the world are working in Haryana. The state government has worked to make Gurugram an industrial hub, said the Union Home Minister.

He said that eight years ago, Haryana was ranked 16th in exports, but now it is at number seven in terms of exports. Haryana has secured the second position in the country under the ‘landlocked category’ in the Niti Aayog’s Export Preparedness Index.

“Haryana government has done the commendable work of giving government jobs to 98000 people in the last 8 years. There has also been a significant improvement in the sex ratio in the state. The present government did the work of eliminating all the illegal nexus. I can happily say that Modi- Manohar has worked to make Haryana number one,” said Sh. Amit Shah.

Earlier speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Haryana is a leading state of the country.

“Our government has worked to change the system in the last 8 years, on one hand, the people are being given the benefits of all welfare schemes online, while on the other, a network of national highways and rail lines have been laid in the entire state.  We have brought radical changes in all other areas including education, and health, “said Sh. Manohar Lal.

He said that the state government has done the work of providing 24 hours of uninterrupted power supplies in the villages.

“If you compare the working of governments of the last 48 years, then 8 years of this government will always have the upper hand as the kind of visible developmental work we have done was never even seen during the tenure of previous governments.  I assure the Home Minister that Haryana would give its full contribution to the progress of the country,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

On this occasion, the Union Minister of Railways and Information Technology, Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw said that today is a special day as the double-engine government is completing its successful eight years. 

“Today the Home Minister has given a big gift to Haryana. This will change the future of Haryana.  A huge eco-system will be created from the Rail Coach Refurbishment Factory, said Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw.

He said that during the time of the previous government, only Rs 315 crore was allocated for the development of railways in Haryana, but Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi’s tenure, an annual allocation of 1400 crores is allocated for the development of railways in Haryana. 

Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw said that work on railway projects is going on at a fast pace in Haryana.  Railways have sanctioned a complete redevelopment project of seven stations in Haryana. 

The tender for a world-class railway station in Faridabad has been finalized at a cost of 262 crores. Similarly, the master plan for the construction of world-class railway stations in Gurugram, Chandigarh, Ambala Cantt, Karnal, Kurukshetra and Panipat is being prepared, shared Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Union Minister of State for Power and Heavy Industries, Sh. Krishan Pal Gurjar in his address said that BJP-led states have an outstanding graph of good governance and development. 

Today, the honour and integrity of the country are also safe in the hands of Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi.  The country’s treasury is also safe and the borders of the country are also safe, said Sh. Krishan Pal Gurjar.

It has been the endeavour of the State Government that the benefits of the schemes of the Center and the State should reach the last mile citizen, said Haryana’s Deputy Chief Minister, Sh. Dushyant Chautala.

Thanking Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, he said that the Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor project to be built at a cost of Rs 5,618 crore would work to change the picture and destiny of the industrialization of Haryana.

Haryana BJP President, Sh. O.P Dhankhar while congratulating, Sh. Amit Shah on his arrival in Haryana said that with the blessings of Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, the Manohar-led team has written a new chapter of development in the State.

Sh. Dhankhar also thanked Sh. Amit Shah and Sh. Ashwini Vaishnaw for gifting various development projects to Haryana.

On this occasion, BJP Haryana in-charge, Sh. Biplab Deb, MPs, MLAs and many senior officers of the Central and State Governments also remained present.

Chandigarh

NHRC notice to the Govt of Rajasthan on the reported auctioning of girls on stamp papers and the refusal thereof resulting in the rape of their mothers to settle disputes on the diktats of Caste Panchayats in the State

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IEP New Delhi, October 27, 2022

 The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that in a half dozen districts of Rajasthan, the girls are sold on Stamp Paper and if not, their mothers are subjected to rape on the diktats of cast panchayats for the settlement of disputes. Reportedly, whenever there is a dispute between the two parties particularly involving financial transactions and loans etc, the girls aged between 8-18 are auctioned to recover money. These girls are being sent to U.P., M.P., Mumbai, Delhi and even foreign countries and subjected to physical abuse, torture and sexual assault in slavery. The media reports have documented the ordeal of many victims of such horrendous crimes.         The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to human rights violations of the victims of the such abominable practice. Accordingly, it has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of Rajasthan calling for a detailed report in the matter, along with an action taken report, qua measures already taken and if not, proposed to be taken to prevent such gory incidents. The Report must also contain how the State Government is ensuring the functions of the Gram Panchayat, as per the constitutional provisions or Panchayati Raj Law to eradicate the caste-based system impinging the human rights and the right to dignity of girls and women in the State. A notice has also been issued to the Director General of Police, Rajasthan to submit a detailed report mentioning the initiation of criminal prosecution against the perpetrators of such crime and their abettors/sympathizers. It must also contain the status of cases, including the registration of FIRs, charge-sheet, arrest, if any, in such incidents and the mechanism initiated to apprehend the people involved in such systematic crimes of flesh trade in the State. The report must also mention steps being taken or proposed to be taken against the public servant(s), who purported to have neglected perpetually prevention of such incidents. The response from both the Chief Secretary and DGP is excepted within four weeks.  The Commission, in the meanwhile, has also asked its Special Rapporteur, Mr. Umesh Kumar Sharma to visit and inspect the affected areas, within the State of Rajasthan, and submit a comprehensive report on the incidents noted about and the prevailing practice in the area, at the earliest, preferably, not later than three months. According to the media report, carried on 26th October, 2022, the Caste Panchayats in Rajasthan are committing this crime like  Syria and Iraq where the girls are enslaved.  Reportedly, in Bhilwada, whenever there is any dispute between the two parties, they instead of going to the police, approach the Caste Panchayats for its settlement. It becomes the starting point of making the girls slave, if they are not sold, their mothers are ordered to be raped. The news report further reveals that in order to pay off Rs. 15 lakh dept a Caste Panchayat force a man to sell his sister first and even after this when the debt was not cleared, he was forced to sell his 12 year old daughter. The buyer purchased the girl for Rs. 8 lakh.  Thereafter, all the five sisters became slave but still their father could not pay off his debt.  In another incident a man was forced to sell his house and further take a loan of Rs. 6 lakh for the treatment of his wife, who later died, he take Rs. 6 lakh more for the treatment of his mother. In order to settle the loan, he sold his small daughter for Rs. 6 lakh to some people, who took her to Agra. She was sold three times and became pregnant four times

Chandigarh

Mohali lad shines in U-14 school cricket tournament

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IEP Mohali, October 27

Mohali lad Ayaan Srivastava while leading YPS Mohali cricket team in under 14 Indian Public School Conference (IPSC )tournament at Pune recently played  a crucial part in YPS win in tournament while shining with both bat and ball.  

Due to his sterling all-rounder performance, he was named player of the tournament. Ayaan was in fact man of the match in three consecutive matches from quarter final to final and scored 145 runs and taken 6 wickets in the tournament

In the quarter final, while batting he played captain’s knock by scoring 42 runs off 46 balls. In the bowling department he took 2 wickets for just 8 runs in 4 overs.

In the semifinal his bat again spoke of his caliber while scoring 44 runs in 52 balls. He also took 2 wickets for 9 runs in 3 overs.

In the final against DPS Mathura Road, while batting first , Ayaan was involved in a 99 run opening wicket partnership with vice-captain Anhad Singh Sandhu while scoring 33 runs off 54 balls. In bowling he scalped 2 wickets for 10 runs in 3.5 overs.

Chandigarh, Haryana

260-gm heroin and 2 kg opium seized

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IEP Chandigarh, October 27

Haryana Police in separate incidents, have arrested two persons on the charges of drug peddling in Sirsa district and recovered 260-gram heroin and 2 kg 20 gram of opium from their possession.

                    Sharing the information here today, a Haryana Police spokesperson informed that a police team while checking signalled a scooty driver to stop. Instead of stopping, the accused tried to speed off but was nabbed at a short distance. When frisked, 260-gram of heroin worth around Rs 1.25 crore was recovered from accused identified as Sonu aka Mirchi, a resident of Ther Mohalla in Sirsa.

                    During interrogation, the accused told that seized contraband was given to him by two persons.

                    In another crackdown, a police team was patrolling near railway crossing in the district. A suspicious person appeared who tried to flee away from the spot after seeing the police team. The team immediately nabbed him and recovered 2 kg 20 gram of opium from his possession identified as Santosh Kumar, a native of Jharkhand.

                    Cases under the NDPS Act were registered against them in different police stations. Both will be taken on remand so that names of others involved in this network of drug peddling could be unearthed.

Chandigarh

Vigilance unearths another scam in labour, transportation tenders in Ferozepur grain markets

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IEP Chandigarh October 27

The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has exposed another scam regarding fraud in labour cartage and transport tenders for wheat in grain markets by the contractors in conniving with concerned officers/employees of the Food and Civil Supplies department in Ferozepur. In this regard a case has been registered against three contractors/tenderers Davinder Singh of Faridkot, Daviderpal and Gurushakti, both from Talwandi Bhai, at the VB Police Station Ferozepur, for committing fraud and embezzlement causing huge loss to the State exchequer. In this case the VB has arrested contractor Davinder Singh resident of Nandeana Gate, Faridkot.

Disclosing this here today, the spokesperson of the VB said the bureau after investigating this fraud in the grain markets of Ferozepur and Mamdot, a case has been registered under FIR 24 on 27-10-2022 against the accused contractors under section 420, 409, 467, 468, 471, 120-B and section 13 (1) and (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at Police Station VB, Ferozepur.

Giving more information in this regard, the spokesperson said during the tenders for labour cartage and transport in the above grain markets for wheat/stock articles in the current year 2022-2023, the above mentioned contractors has attached lists at the time of filling the tenders regarding the registration numbers of vehicles for transportation of goods which were verified by the VB from respective district transport authorities. It has come to light that in these lists several registration numbers of unvalid vehicles like Motor Cycles, Jeeps, Tractors etc, were attached whereas the food grains could not be transported on such vehicles, he added.

During the probe it has been established that along with the registration numbers of fake vehicles mentioned in the gate passes by the accused contractors, the details of the quantity of food grains are prima facie a case of fake reporting and embezzlement shown in these gate passes. He said the concerned officials/employees of the department had also paid to the said contractors for the work done without verifying these fake gate passes.

          He further revealed that according to the above facts, the district tender allotment committee should have rejected the technical bid of the concerned contractors as per rules, which was not done. But the concerned officials/employees in connivance with each other have committed this fraud in the labour cartage and transport tenders for the transportation of food grains in these grain markets and on the basis of which this case has been registered against the above mentioned accused. The role of other government officers/employees of the department would be probed during the investigation of the case as alleged in the complaint in this regard.

Chandigarh, Punjab

Aman Arora lays foundation stone of Udyog Seva Kendra at Dera Bassi

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IEP SAS Nagar, October 26

Punjab Government led by Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann is striving hard to promote industry in the state for generating more employment opportunities for the youth of the state, said Housing & Urban Development and Information & Public Relations Minister Mr Aman Arora, who laid a foundation stone of Udyog Seva Kendra at Dera Bassi Today.

Mr. Aman Arora, while addressing the members of Dera Bassi Industries Association, said that the industrialists of this region will get great benefits with this Udyog Seva Kendra. He said that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Mann was pushing to promote Ease of Doing Business and establishing new industry in the state, which is the backbone of the economy as in the progress of any country or state, industry plays a major role.

He said that he has been hearing about the difficulties faced by the Dera Bassi industrialists. The industry of this area was neglected by the previous governments. Now, the state government led by S. Bhagwant Mann was not leaving any stone left unturned in providing the required facilities to the industry. 

He informed that the Housing and Urban Development department has delegated powers for approval of Building Plans and grant of Completion Certificate of standalone industries including compounding of standalone industries, outside MC Limit, to Director of Factories so that the industrialist need not to apply at two separate departments for getting the Building Plans of their factories approved.

Many other significant decisions have been made regarding setting up industries in the state, with which Punjab was emerging as a preferred destination for industries across the country. On this occasion, he also lent sympathetic ear to problems being faced by industrialists and assured them to resolve their problems at the earliest.  

Earlier, MLA Mr. Kuljit Singh Randhawa felicitated the Cabinet Minister and apprised him the difficulties faced by the industry of Dera Bassi. On this occasion, SDM Dera Bassi Mr. Himanshu Gupta, President of Dera Bassi Industries Association Mr Vijay Mittal, Secretary Rakesh R. Agarwal and other office bearers and industrialists were also present.

Chandigarh

ON TRANSPORT MINISTER DIRECTIVES, FOUR EMPLOYEES INCLUDING GM OF PUNJAB ROADWAYS SUSPENDED ON CORRUPTION CHARGES

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IEP Chandigarh, October 26

On the directives of Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, four employees including General Manager of Punjab Roadways have been suspended on the charges of irregularities and corrupt practices with immediate effect.          Giving further details, Transport Minister said that he had received complaints pertaining to the irregularities at Sri Muktsar Sahib Depot of Punjab Roadways, following which an investigation team was formed to conduct a preliminary investigation adopting zero tolerance policy of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann towards corruption.          Cabinet Minister Bhullar said, on the basis of the investigation report submitted by the investigation team, Sri Muktsar Sahib Depot General Manager Ranjit Singh Bagga, Sub Inspector Balwinder Singh, Senior Assistant Pargat Singh and Conductor Gursharan Singh have been suspended under the charges of causing financial loss to the state exchequer and carrying out corruption activities.          He said that these officials, who used to collect adda fee of private buses but did not give the receipt and instead of depositing the due amount in the state exchequer, they pocketing the same in their own pockets, have been suspended under Rule 4 (2) (a) of the Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970. The headquarter of the officials will be the office of the Director State Transport, Punjab at Chandigarh during the suspension period.

Chandigarh

आदमपुर उपचुनाव के लिए जेजेपी की कोऑर्डिनेशन कमेटी और स्टार प्रचारक घोषित

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IEP Chandigarh

 जननायक जनता पार्टी ने आदमपुर उपचुनाव को लेकर अपने वरिष्ठ और स्थानीय नेताओं की टीम बनाकर चुनाव प्रचार में उतार दी हैं। पार्टी के वरिष्ठ नेताओं ने विचार विमर्श कर प्रदेश अध्यक्ष सरदार निशान सिंह के नेतृत्व में 6 नेताओं की समन्वय समिति बनाई है। इस कमेटी में पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय संगठन सचिव राजेंद्र लितानी, राज्य मंत्री अनूप धानक, चिकित्सा प्रकोष्ठ के प्रदेश अध्यक्ष डॉ विरेंद्र सिवाच, हिसार जिला प्रभारी मास्टर ताराचंद और जिला अध्यक्ष रमेश गोदारा शामिल हैं। 

बुधवार को जेजेपी कोआर्डिनेशन कमेटी के सदस्यों ने आदमपुर अनाज मंडी में एक बैठक कर हलके को 12 जोन में बांटकर विभिन्न नेताओं की ड्यूटी भी लगा दी। जेजेपी ने सभी 12 जोन में एक-एक नेता को प्रभारी नियुक्त किया है और उन्हें अपने क्षेत्र के गांवों में प्रचार तेज़ करने को कहा है।

पार्टी सचिव रणधीर सिंह ने बताया कि जेजेपी ने 20 वरिष्ठ नेताओं की सूची आदमपुर उपचुनाव के लिए स्टार प्रचारक के तौर पर भी घोषित की है। इनमें पार्टी के राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष डॉ अजय सिंह चौटाला, उपमुख्यमंत्री दुष्यंत चौटाला, वरिष्ठ राष्ट्रीय उपाध्यक्ष अनंत राम तंवर एवं डॉ केसी बांगड़,  प्रदेश अध्यक्ष सरदार निशान सिंह और प्रदेश महासचिव दिग्विजय चौटाला शामिल हैं। इनके अलावा राष्ट्रीय संगठन सचिव राजेंद्र लितानी, राष्ट्रीय महासचिव हर्ष कुमार,कैबिनेट मंत्री देवेंद्र बबली, राज्य मंत्री अनूप धानक, विधायक ईश्वर सिंह, अमरजीत ढांडा, रामकरण काला, जोगीराम सिहाग भी आदमपुर में प्रचार करेंगे। साथ ही मोहसिन चौधरी, शीला भ्याण, रविंद्र सांगवान, कृष्ण गंगवा, विरेंद्र सिवाच और प्रदीप देसवाल भी जेजेपी की तरफ से गठबंधन उम्मीदवार के पक्ष में आदमपुर में प्रचार करेंगे।

जेजेपी सचिव रणधीर सिंह ने बताया कि उन्होंने पार्टी के स्टार प्रचारकों की सूची राज्य चुनाव आयोग को भेज दी है और प्रचार के आखिरी सप्ताह में अपने कार्यकर्ताओं से भी आदमपुर उपचुनाव में सक्रिय भूमिका निभाने को कहा है। पार्टी नेताओं ने आदमपुर में की बैठक के बाद कहा कि आदमपुर की जन क्षेत्र के विकास के लिए और सकारात्मक राजनीति के लिए गठबंधन के प्रत्याशी को वोट देगी और राज्य सरकार के साथ चलकर यहां विकास का रास्ता बुलंद करेगी।

Chandigarh

More laurels for PGIMER as Dr Surinder Rana from Gastroenterology, awarded the prestigious Emerging Leaders Lectureship Award for 2022

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IEP Chandigarh October 26

There have been more laurels for PGIMER as one of its distinguished faculty, Dr Surinder Rana, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, PGIMER has been awarded Asian Pacific Digestive Week Federation and the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation, (APDWF-JGHF)  prestigious Emerging Leaders Lectureship Award for 2022. The award citation states that Dr. Rana has been awarded in recognition of his excellence as a rising star and his contributions to Gastroenterology and Hepatology in the Asia Pacific region. This award is an acknowledgment of his significant contributions to the management of pancreatic diseases including acute and chronic pancreatitis. Dr. Rana will be delivering a lecture on the Endoscopic management of Pancreatic Necrosis at the APDWF-JGHF Emerging Leaders Lectureship session at the Asian Pacific Digestive Week 2022 (APDW2022) Congress being held in Xi’an, China. He has been studying the role of therapeutic endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic diseases and has developed various innovative minimally invasive non-surgical methods for treating various pancreatic diseases. Having more than 400 publications in peer reviewed National and International Journals, Dr. Rrana has also received various awards and orations including Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Amrut Mody Unichem Prize 2019, Young Clinician Award 2005 by World Gastroenterology Organization, Don Wilson (Crystal)Award 2006 by the American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and Shakuntala Amir Chand Award 2006 by Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for his dedicated work in the field of pancreatology. In addition to the above accomplishments, Dr Rana has to his credit  fellowship of  American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), American Gastroenterology Association (AGA), Indian Society of Gastroenterology (ISG), Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy of India (SGEI) and Association of Interventional GI Endoscopy of India (AIGE

Chandigarh, Punjab

Punjab CM pays tribute to lord vishwakarma at state level function in ludhiana

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IEP Ludhiana, October 25      

    Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that following the footsteps of Lord Vishwakarma, the Aam Aadmi Government will overhaul the entire system in the state to ensure its progress and prosperity of people.          The Chief Minister, while presiding over a state level function to mark Vishwakarma Day here at local Ramgarhia College, said that Lord Vishwakarma ji was the founder of the creativity, engineering, architecture and technology in the universe. He said that the earlier governments had mercilessly plundered the wealth of the state during which they had caused irreparable damage to it. Bhagwant Mann said that now with the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma he is trying to repair the damage done to the state by ensuring its complete revamp.          The Chief Minister said that the industrial and infrastructure growth across the globe that we observe today was only due to the blessings of Lord Vishwakarma. Bhagwant Mann said that since ages Lord Vishwakarma, the divine architect of the entire universe, is believed to be the master of all machinery and equipment being used by the people in all the industrial activities. Bhagwant Mann said that this great deity of all craftsmen and architects has inspired our artisans, workers and labour class to work hard for the development of the nation besides inculcating a feeling of dignity of labour and a sense of pride in them.          Exhorting the workers and craftsmen to make concerted efforts for strengthening the infrastructure of the state and the Nation, the Chief Minister said that it will be a real and befitting tribute to Lord Vishwakarma. Bhagwant Mann said that in line with the ideology and teachings of Lord Vishwakarma, the Punjab government is laying thrust on imparting skill training to the youth across the state so they could live a life with dignity and self respect. He further said that the promotion of skill training across the state is the need of the hour.          The Chief Minister said that his government strives to make the youth of Punjab to job providers instead of job seekers. He asserted that Punjabis are blessed with the qualities of entrepreneurship and leadership. Bhagwant Mann said that due to these qualities the Punjabis have carved a niche for themselves across the globe.          The Chief Minister lamented that divisive forces are trying to create a wedge between people on lines of caste, religion, language and others in the country. He said that this is not in the interest of our nation for which the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood and fraternity must be strengthened. Bhagwant Mann also bemoaned the irreparable damage being caused to federal structure of the country by those at helms of affairs at the centre by usurping the rights of the states.          The Chief Minister said that this is against the basic spirit of democracy and cannot be tolerated at any cost. Citing the example of Mughal Gardens in Rashtrapati Bhawan, Bhagwant Mann said that it has a variety of flowers which soothes the eyes of everyone due to which people throng to see it adding that the democracy with diverse ideas and views is always a successful one. In the same manner, Bhagwant Mann said that in democracy opposition and treasury benches are also important adding that in a democratic set up the views of everyone should be taken into consideration.          The Chief Minister said that as Lord Vishwakarma has created the entire universe by joining brick by brick so now the time has come when we must build our nation by strengthening the basic social fabric of the country. He said that for this all of us have to join hands and ensure that the country is put on a path of progress and prosperity. Bhagwant Mann solicited the support of people for this noble cause and in the larger interests of the country.          Striking an emotional chord with the city of Ludhiana, the Chief Minister described it as his Karam bhoomi whereas Satauj village was his janambhoomi. Bhagwant Mann said that he has been fortunate enough to have got the opportunity to serve Punjab and its people. He said that the state government is already making strenuous efforts to restore the pristine glory of the state adding that this can be ensured only with proactive support of people.