Will stop brain drain from Punjab: Mann
Says the AAP govt will create job opportunities, and people from foreign countries will flock to Punjab for work
BATHINDA: Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said the government was committed to stop the brain drain from Punjab by creating new job opportunities.
Addressing students during the first convocation ceremony of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University (MRSPTU) in Bathinda, the CM said 2.75 lakh Punjabi youth may fly abroad this year in pursuit of their dreams. Terming the trend as grave, the CM blamed the previous governments for doing little to stop the trend by not providing employment opportunities to the youths in the state. A total of 103 students including, 69 women, were conferred degrees on the occasion.
Mann said it would be the other way round when people from foreign countries shall flock to Punjab to work here. “Each Punjabi youth going abroad carries an investment of Rs 15 lakh and we lose the potential of nation building. We are prioritising to reverse it by opening employment avenues in the state,” he added.
Guv downplays Mann’s concern over migration Governor Banwari Lal Purohit, who was also present on the occasion, however, downplayed the CM’S concern and said travelling abroad for better employment opportunities is an age-old tradition of enterprising Punjab youth. “One person from a Punjabi family works in fields and another joins the army or moves to foreign soil for better prospects. It is considered an integral part of enterprising Punjabi culture,” said Purohit, also the university chancellor, in his address.
The CM said this is the era of technical education and therefore the current education needs to be in sync with the employment opportunities available.
Seeking some time to create an industry-friendly environment to provide employment in the state itself, Mann appealed to youngsters to serve their own motherland.
The CM also urged students to share out-of-the-box ideas with the state government for redressal of various issues.
“You identify the problems and send the solutions to the government. I assure to accept innovative measures for various challenges,” he said.
Mann lauded MRSPTU, which was established in 2015, as a pioneer institute for imparting quality education.
“Backed by a 65% youth population, India has a huge potential for nation building and sound technical education institutes can play a pivotal role in this direction. Due to poor policies by the previous governments, every year Punjabi youth are migrating to other countries in large numbers,” said the CM.
When MRSPTU vice-chancellor Prof Buta Singh’s request the CM for a financial package to implement the 6th pay Commission and fill vacant posts did not elicit any specific response, Purohit said the university may also approach the corporate houses to financially support the institute as it felicitated industrialists Rajinder Gupta and SPS Oberoi with honorary doctorate degrees.
“The university management should have also demanded funds from the CM for research projects,” he said.
Former chairperson of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Koppillil Radhakrishnan was also conferred with an honorary degree in absentia.
The governor also launched 75 online certificate courses in league with the emerging technologies.