In a bid to open new avenues of self employment for the youth of border districts of the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod for setting up a state-of-the art ‘Integrated Skill Development Centre’ in the Ferozepur district. A decision to this effect was taken in a high level meeting for reviewing the development works of Ferozepur district held under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister here at his office, this morning.Taking part in deliberations, the Chief Minister, while underscoring the need for imparting skill training to the youth of border districts, said that it was the need of the hour to make the youth of these far flung areas self reliant by providing them opportunities of gainful employment. He said that this centre would impart world class skill training to the youth in various sectors so as to enable them to earn their livelihood besides producing a pool of skilled manpower so as to cope up with the need of industry of the state. Mr. Badal said that this centre, to be established under the Punjab State Skill Development Mission, would also have a C-Pyte centre to train the youth for recruitment in the Armed forces and Para-Military forces.
Likewise, the Chief Minister also gave approval for the construction of separate sheds in the existing ITI for imparting skill training to the women. He said that it would help in their empowerment thereby enabling them to lead a life with pride and dignity. In another significant decision, the Chief Minister also gave his concurrence for transferring nearly two acres of land to the Health department for the construction of houses for the Doctors and other staff of the upcoming Satellite centre of the PGI in Ferozepur. Mr. Badal also approved the widening and upgrading of Ferozepur to Mallawala road at a cost of Rs 30.82 crore besides the construction of road from Mallwall Road to Degree college at a cost of Rs 74 lakh to facilitate the college students. He also asked the Housing and Urban Development Department to appoint the Executive Officer (EO) for issuing the NOCs for the illegal colonies.
Dwelling on another issue, the Chief Minister said that he would soon take up the matter related to the construction 20 kilometre bye-pass at Ferozepur from National Highway- 95 to State Highway-20 at a cost of Rs 35 crore with the Union Surface Transport Minister Mr. Nitin Gadkari. He said that this link was all the more important as it would ease out the traffic from the city. Mr. Badal also asked the officers of the PUDA to ensure beautification around the sites owned by it. Likewise, Mr. Badal also ordered immediate transfer of land from Transport Department to Labour department for the construction of labour sheds in the city.Meanwhile, the President of the state BJP Mr. Kamal Sharma, who was also present in the meeting, thanked the Chief Minister for showing special concern for the overall development of Ferozepur district in general and city in particular adding he said the initiative taken by Mr. Badal would further propel the pace of growth and prosperity in the border district.
Prominent amongst other present in the meeting included Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Finance Mrs. Vinnei Mahajan, Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Principal Secretary Housing and Urban Development Mr. Viswajit Singh, Principal Secretary Technical Education Mr. MP Singh, Principal Secretary Higher Education Mr. Roshan Sunkaria, Principal Secretary Education Mr. C Roul, Principal Secretary Jails Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Secretary Rural Development Mr. A Venu Prasad, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Chief Administrator PUDA Mr. Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Secretary Information Technology Mr. RakeshVerma and Deputy Commissioner Ferozepur Mr. DPS Kharbanda.