Amritsar would be the next IT hub: Majithia

Amritsar, August 15: Bikram Singh Majithia, Revenue and Information and Public Relations Minister, Punjab today urged the Union Government to initiate a special campaign for making aware the people of various foreign countries about the separate identity of Sikhs residing over there, to avoid such tragic incidents like Oak Creek Gurdwara in future.

Unfurling the national flag here to mark the 66th Independence Day at Guru Nanak Stadium, Majithia said that Union Government should immediate initiate a campaign through diplomatic channels for the separate identity of Sikhs residing in foreign countries. He said that it is the need of the hour to start such diplomatic talks with the governments of different countries having dense Sikh population to ensure the full safety and security of Sikhs. He extended thanks to the United States for their positive and sympathetic role in the Oak Creek incident. 

Welcoming the decision of Punjab Government for declaring the holy city of Amritsar as ‘Smoke Free City’, Majithia said that this decision would prove a boon for the initiatives already taken by the local administration to brush-aside the menace of drugs from the city. He also extended thanks to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for this noble cause. 

 Majithia, expressing happiness over the initiatives taken on large scale by SAD-BJP Government in Power Sector, said that Punjab has initiated the process of setting up thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Goindwal Sahib to make Punjab a power surplus state besides establishing it a most favoured investment destination of the country. All these Thermal Plant would be operational by the end of 2014 and it would generate 3920 MW of power. He said that due to deficit monsoon in the state, the Punjab Government has purchased a power of more than Rs. 7000 crore to ensure the proper cultivation of paddy already sown by its peasantry.

 The Minister also said that the Punjab Government has constituted a ‘Metropolitan Planning Committee’ for the overall development of Amritsar, which would be headed by Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and he would personally monitor the status of development projects. He said that ‘Master Plan’ for the development of holy city from all spheres would be implemented in coming two years. He said that Amritsar would be the next IT hub.

Mr. Majithia said that Amritsar would soon witness a state-of-the-art trade fair center and the government has identified 20 acres of land for this purpose, while the proposal to construct a mini secretariat at Amritsar has also been finalized. He said that Punjab Government is committed to eliminate illegal trades of drugs and narcotics in the state by starting a special drive against this menace. He said that during the last five years, the Punjab Police has seized drugs and narcotics worth Rs. 1260 crore, which was the 40% of total seizure in the country.  

        Congratulating the countrymen for entering the 66th year of Independence, Mr. Majithia exhorted Punjabis in general and youth in particular to tread on the path shown by our martyr’s for building a strong nation and for elimination of social menaces.

        Mr. Majithia also honoured freedom fighters and their families besides various personalities of government departments and from society for their achievements in different sectors. He also distributed tricycles and sewing machines to physically challenged people and widows.

        Meanwhile, Mr. Majithia announced a grant of Rs. 3.5 lakh for the teams of students, who participated in cultural and folk programs and also announced holiday for the participating schools on August 16.