The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave approval to sanction funds to the tune of Rs.76 Cr. for the construction of ongoing Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur (Jalandhar), War Memorial and Bhagwan Valmiki ji Memorial in Ram Tirath Temple at Amritsar.Presiding over a meeting to review the progress of these prestigious memorials here at his residence this morning, Mr. Badal sanctioned Rs.36 Cr. for the Bhagwan Valmiki ji Memorial, Rs. 25 Cr. and Rs.15 Cr for Jang-e-Azadi and War Memorial respectively and asked the MD PIDB to immediately release these funds. He directed the Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs and Tourism to monitor the progress of these projects personally by regularly visiting the memorial sites so as to ensure their completion well within the timeline. The Chief Minister assured the State Cultural Affairs Department that paucity of funds would not be allowed to hamper the pace of these projects of glorious cultural heritage in any case adding he said that there would be a constant flow of funds to achieve their timely completion.
Mr. Badal reiterated that these memorials were very close to his heart and he was passionately attached to them as he never considered them to be merely monuments but a vital link to connect our youngsters especially the future generations with our rich cultural legacy. Above all, Mr. Badal reminded the hard fact that at any nation, country or state which ignored its history and in the same manner those nations, countries and states were also tend to be vanished with the passage of time.Prominent amongst the others who attended the meeting included ; Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. S. K. Sandhu, Managing Director PIDB Mr. A. Venu Prasad, Principal Secretary Cultural Affairs & Tourism Mrs. Anjali Bhawra, Secretary Local Government Mr. Vikas Partap, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Ajoy Sharma, CEO Water Supply and Sanitation Board Mr. D.K. Tiwari and Director Cultural Affairs &Tourism Mr. N.S. Randhawa.