Badal projects Punjab as hub of education and health services in country

GHUDDA (Bathinda): At a time when people of Punjab are coping with poor primary education and health services in the state, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today at a function chaired by Union Human Resource Minister Smriti Irani, envisioned the state as a hub of ‘Education and Healthcare services’ across the country.
Badal was Addressing the function after laying the foundation stone of the Central University of Punjab here by Smriti Irani. Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has taken unprecedented steps to boost the education sector in the state as a result of which the state has emerged as a leading state in the country in field of education. He said that apart from setting up 10 new Universities and 17 Degree Colleges the state government has also given due emphasis on strengthening the infra structure in government schools across the state. Mr. Badal said that Bathinda which was once considered as an educationally backward district in the State has now housed five new universities to impart quality education to the youth.
Likewise, the Chief Minister said that special focus has been laid by the state government to provide state of the art medical facilities to the people. He said that it was on record that Punjabis who had to earlier go to other states for treatment of fatal diseases like cancer were getting advanced treatment and diagnostic facilities in every nook and corner of the state. Badal said that SAD-BJP alliance government has left no stone unturned to always ensure overall development and prosperity of the people in the state as its top most agenda during its tenure of over eight years in the service of people.
Urging the Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Zubin Irani to open Meritorious School, in every block of the country, the Chief Minister said that it would prove to be a boon for bright students from economically weaker sections of the society. He said that six such Schools have already been established by the state government at Mohali, Bathinda, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Patiala to provide quality education to meritorious students scoring above 80% in Government Schools. Mr. Badal said that this experiment has proved to be extremely successful for the state government to raise the standard of education besides beneficial for students too, who were now striving hard to seek admission in these prestigious schools with a sense of healthy competition.
The Chief Minister further said that in a short span of its rule the NDA government led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has given several key projects to the state, which would be instrumental in putting the state further on high growth trajectory. He said that Sri Amritsar Sahib the holy city of the state has been chosen as heritage city under the HRIDAY scheme, which would ensure flow of central assistance worth hundred crores of rupees for its development. Likewise, Mr. Badal said that Jallianwala Bagh has been included amongst Cultural World Heritage Site to receive special assistance for improving the infrastructure.
The Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Sukhbir Singh Badal while addressing the gathering said that today is a historic day for the Malwa region, especially Bathinda, as a novel beginning has been made in the field of education. He said that on the completion, the university would impart quality education to 18000 students who would be given every possible facility. He further said that a budget of Rs. 2000 crore has been earmarked for this purpose.