SUB-COMMITTEE to shortlist Shiromani Awards

Chandigarh, February 27, 2013: The Punjab Education and Language Minister Sikander Singh Maluka has been authorised to constitute a sub-committee to short list the names for Shiromani Awards to be given for the year 2012 and 2013.

This decision has been taken in the maiden meeting of newly constituted ‘State Advisory Board’ of Language Department held here today.

Presiding over the meeting, Maluka underlined the need to ensure total transparency in the process of short listing the names for various Shiromani Awards being provided by the State Government. He said that a sub-committee would be constituted to thoroughly short list the names besides any addition or restructuring of these awards. He said that to promote Punjabi as well as other languages in the state, it becomes imperative for all of us to ensure foolproof process for selecting the names of different awardees.

It was also decided by the State Advisory Board that the Language Department should start a library membership plan on the pattern of Punjabi University, Patiala to provide all its publications to its members at 50% rebate. Besides this, all the old manuscripts lying with the Language Department should be published on the pattern of Punjabi University Patiala through private publishers. Majority of the members emphasized the need to promote the reading culture with special focus on developing reading habits amongst the students. They appreciated the efforts of State Education Minister Maluka and Director General School Education Kahan Singh Pannu for introducing the concept of School Magazine for each school and expressed confidence that this would go a long way in developing literary temperament amongst the students.

On this occasion an eight member committee comprising of Gurbhajan Singh Gill, Harjinder Kaur, Tarlochan Singh, Dr. Ravel Singh, Dr. Gulzar Singh Sandhu, Baldev Singh Saraknama, Dr. Tejwant Mann and Mr. Satnam Manak has been constituted to give final touches to the State Library Act for its effective implementation in the state.

It was also decided in the meeting to restructure the District level Advisory Committees to make them more pro-active.

Prominent amongst those who were present in the meeting included A. R. Talwar, Principal Secretary Higher Education and Languages, Harjinder Kaur, President Punjab Kala Parishad, Gurbhajan Singh Gill, President Punjab Sahit Academy, Pawan Harchandpuri, Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Sekhon), Dr. Ravel Singh, Secretary Punjabi Academy, New Delhi, Balbir Kaur, Director Language Department Punjab besides number of eminent personalities from the field of literature, journalism and culture.