Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today announced to double the cash amount of Shiromani Awards bestowed upon leading litterateurs, journalists, poets and other eminent personalities for their outstanding contribution in promotion of the Punjabi language, literature and culture. Addressing a gathering here at Punjab Bhawan after honoring 43 literary personalities with Shiromani Sahit Rattan and Shiromani Sahitkar awards, the Chief Minister said that from the next year the personalities being honored with Shiromani Sahit Rattan award would be given a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh instead of Rs 5 lakh given earlier whereas the amount given to recipient of Shiromani Sahitkar award has been doubled from Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. Mr Badal said that the sole motive to enhance the cash award was to give due recognition to the outstanding and valuable contribution made by these noted litterateurs for the promotion of the Punjabi language, literature and culture.The Chief Minister also announced that to introduce another award to honor the enormous contribution of scribes with Punjab origin settled abroad in Print and Electronic media. Mr Badal also asked the Education Minister to ensure to hold thus function every year to felicitate the litterateurs in respective fields. He called upon the active members of Journalism and Literary word related to Punjab to work for the promotion Punjab, Punjabi and the rich cultural values of Punjab to inculcate a feel of pride amongst our young generation that was being detached from it under the impact of westernization.In an emotional appeal, the Chief Minister urged the parents to start speaking Punjabi with their children from day one because it was mandatory to perpetuate the rich legacy of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat which was being eroded swiftly. He said that the fairly large concentration of Punjabi Diaspora over the globe today became familiar with the fact that their families could not survive by detaching themselves from their roots. “It is our moral and social obligation that we should work together to glorify Punjab’s rich cultural and heritage”, said Mr Badal. The Chief Minister said that it was the SAD-BJP government which enacted a legislation to make the use of Punjabi language in all Government and semi-Government offices and to introduce it as a compulsory subject in schools. Mr Badal said he has asked the Bureaucracy to work in Punjabi and returned files to the concerned officers who had made noting or even put signatures in English. The underlying spirit of this gesture was to make aware about the significance of the Punjabi language as a medium of official communication.Speaking on the occasion Information and Public Relations Minister Mr Bikram Sigh Mjaithia congratulated the recipients of the award for their outstanding contribution in the promotion of Punjabi language, literature and culture adding that they were fortunate enough to be honored by an eminent personality of Mr Badal’s stature, who was not merely an inpidual but an institution. He said that Punjabi language could act as a vital link to foster the bonds of goodwill, friendship and harmony between people of the India and Pakistan.In his address the Education Minister Mr Sikander Singh Maluka pointed out that undoubtedly English was universally accepted world over as a link language and we should give due recognition to it but not at the cost and status of our mother tongue, Punjabi. Mr Maluka further said that SAD-BJP government was fully committed to promote Punjabi from the day one and had brought an amendment in the Punjabi Language Act to make Punjabi as a compulsory subject in all the schools in the state up to 10thclass.Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Principal Secretary Information and Public Relations Department Mr NS Kang, Principal Secretary Higher Education and Languages Mrs Ravneet Kaur, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr Gaggandip Singh Brar, Director Languages Dr Balbir Kaur, Director General School Education Mr Kahan Singh Pannu, Additional Secretary Information and Public Relations Department Mr Gurwaryam Singh and Additional Director Information and Public Relations Department Mrs Senu Duggal.On the occasion Mr Badal also honored 43 literary personalities with the annual awards being bestowed by the Languages department Punjab under different literary categories: For the year 2010 Dr. Mohinder Kaur Gill was honoured with Punjabi Sahit Rattan Award, Dr. Tejwant Mann with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar Award, Mr Shiv Prasad Bhardwaj with Shiromani Sanskrit Sahitkat Award, Mr Surinder Gill with Shiromani Punjabi Kavi Award, Dr Harbhajan Singh Bhatia Shiromani Punjabi Alochak/Gian Sahitkar Award, Mrs Veena Verma with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar (Videshi) award, S Darshan Singh Bhau with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar (outside Punjab) award, Mr Sukhdev Singh Grewal with Shiromani Punjabi Bal Sahit Lekhak award, Mr Hukum Chand Sharma with Shiromani Punjabi Patarkar Award, Bhai Joga Singh Jogi with Shiromani Rag/ Kavishar award, Mrs Jatinder Kaur Shiromani Punjabi Television/ Radio Award, Mr Amarjeet Gurdaspuri with Shiromani Punjabi Gayak/ Sangeetkar award, Mr Gurwinder Singh Dhaliwal with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitak Patarkar Award.Likewise, for the year 2011 the Chief Minister honored Mr Prem Parkash Khannvi with Punjabi Sahit Rattan Award, Mr Surjeet Hans with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar Award, Dr Krishan Kumar Rattu with Shiromani Hindi Sahitkar Award, Dr Rubeena Shabnam with Shiromani Urdu Sahitkar Award, Dr Mahesh Chander Gautam with Shiromani Sanskrit Sahitkar Award, Mr Surjeet Judge with Shiromani Punjabi Kavi Award, Dr Saroop Singh Alagh with Shiromani Punjabi Alochak/Gian Sahitkar Award, Mr Jarnail Singh with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar (Videshi) award, Mr Harbhajan Singh Komal with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitkar (outside Punjab) award, Mr Kamaljeet Neelon with Shiromani Punjabi Bal Sahit Lekhak award, Mr Kamaljeet Singh Banvait with Shiromani Punjabi Patarkar Award, Bhai Nirmal Singh Khalsa with Shiromani Ragi/ Kavishar award, Mr Kesar Singh Shiromani Punjabi Television/ Radio Award, Mr Jagdish Waryam with Shiromani Punjabi Sahitak Patarkar Award whereas Mr Kuldeep Manak was bestowed upon Shiromani Punjabi Gayak/ Sangeetkar award posthumously.The Chief Minister also gave away Giani Gurmukh Singh Musafir Award for Punjabi poetry to Mr Paramveer Singh for his creation ‘Amrit Vela’, Principal Sujan Singh Awarad for Punjabi Story to Principal Gurdev Singh Sandhaur for ‘Vilakdi Garibi’, S Gurbaksh Singh Preetladi Award for Punjabi essays/ travelogues to Mr Ajit Singh Chandan for ‘Salike Naal Jiyo’ and cDr Amar Komal for ‘Nav Rang’, Bhai Veer Singh Award for Encyclopedia to Dr Surjeet Singh Dhillon for ‘Biotechnology dictionary’, Principal Teja Award for Editing to Mr Sukhdev Madpuri for ‘Kallar Deeva Machda’, Dr Atar Singh Award for criticism to Dr Gursharan Kaur Jaggi for ‘Guru Nanak Bani-Prem Bhagti Da Sarup’ Dr MS Randhawa Award for Gian Sahit to Mr Jaswant Singh Sidhu for ‘Shaheedi Marg- Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji’, Sri Guru Harikrishan Puruskar for Bal Sahit 2011 to Dr Faqir Chand Shukla for ‘Dur Hunda Hanera’ and for the year 2010 to Mr Jai Ram Nirdosh for ‘Mehak Amanaan Di’, Giani Sant Singh Award for Hindi poetry was given to Mr Kulbhushan Kalra for ‘Bazaar Banta Aadmi’, Sudarshan Puruskar for Hindi Novel to Mr Yashpal Sharma for ‘Udaan’ and Baal Sahitya Puraskar for Hindi Baal Sahit to Dr Faqir Chand Shukla for ‘Janamdin Ki Party’. Besides, the Chief Minister also bestowed upon three special awards to Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, Mr Harvinder Singh Khalsa and Mr Gulzar Singh Shaunki for their enormous contribution in development of Punjabi language and literature.