Punjab launches 26 projects worth ₹150 crore
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore and chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Friday laid the foundation stone for 26 development projects worth ₹150 crore as part of year-long celebrations to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
The projects include upgrade of infrastructure in three historic towns of Sultanpur Lodhi, Dera Baba Nanak and Batala. Three high-level bridges, two foot overbridges and another high-level bridge on a creek of the Beas and new rest house at Sultanpur Lodhi will be completed by July 2019.
In the state-level function to celebrate the 549th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, the CM also announced projects and welfare schemes worth ₹3,312 crore to facilitate pilgrims. He launched a drive to plant 550 saplings in villages across the state in the next one year at a cost of ₹10.5 crore.
The CM also announced to spruce up village infrastructure under the Smart Village Campaign in a phased manner. He said ₹1,000 crore have been earmarked for the first phase. An Institute of inter-faith studies will be set up at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, at a cost of ₹510 crore, while Pind Babe Nanak Da museum will be established at Sultanpur Lodhi to commemorate the historic occasion, said the CM. He announced setting up of Bebe Nanki College for Girls at Mahablipur village and cleaning of Kali Bein to be undertaken at Sultanpur Lodhi.
He said ₹180 crore has been allocated for the upgrade of roads and bridges to improve connectivity to Sultanpur Lodhi with Majha, Doaba and Malwa areas of the state. Development works in and around Sultanpur Lodhi would be completed by September 30 next year, the CM added.
The CM also announced “Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana” under which 43 lakh families would be brought under insurance cover of ₹5 lakh at a cost of ₹371 crore from January 1, 2019.
A government medical college and super speciality hospital will be established at Kotli Nangal village in Gurdaspur district for ₹400 crore, in public private partnership mode, and Guru Nanak Dev ji Centre for Invention, Innovation, Incubation & Training (CIIIT) will be established as a hub in main campus of the Punjab Technical University at Kapurthala.
Amarinder also announced the release of 32 prisoners and remission of term for another 2,952 to mark the occasion.
The CM said a railway station at Sultanpur Lodhi would also be upgraded as announced by the Union ministry.
The chief minister also welcomed the Centre’s decision to release commemorative coins and postage stamps.