Punjab Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that in the next 3 months time, smart classes would be developed in all 137 schools located within the Municipal Corporation Ludhiana limits. He said that funds amounting to Rs 6.28 crore have already been transferred to the Department of School Education Punjab and work would commence shortly.Mr Ashu said this while addressing the students during the Annual Prize Distribution function at Shaheed-E-Azam Sukhdev Thapar Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, here today.While speaking on the occasion, the Cabinet Minister said that these smart classrooms would be developed under the Ludhiana Smart City Mission and the Ludhiana Smart City Ltd has already transferred the funds to Department of School Education, Punjab. He said that there are a total of 137 schools in Ludhiana city (within municipal limits). As per the proposed plan, three smart classrooms would be developed in each Government Primary School, five in each Government High School and seven in each Government Senior Secondary School. He announced that the tenders for this project have already been floated.
He also urged the NGO’s and corporate houses to come forward and adopt the government schools so that our education sector gets strengthened. He said that there is a huge potential in Ludhiana city as corporate houses can contribute large amounts for this cause under their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activity. He told the senior Education Department officials that he would personally visit all city schools and would supervise the ongoing work of smart classrooms.Ludhiana MP Mr Ravneet Singh Bittu said that there is no shortage of funds when it comes to strengthening of government education sector. He assured that all possible help would be provided to all government schools and urged them to contact him personally if they want funds for any development work.Both Mr Bharat Bhushan Ashu and MP Mr Ravneet Singh Bittu announced a grant of Rs 10 lakh each from their discretionary funds for the development of Shaheed-E-Azam Sukhdev Thapar Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Bharat Nagar, here.Prominent among those present on the occasion included Mayor Mr Balkar Singh Sandhu, MC Councillors Mrs Mamta Ashu and Mr Harkaran Singh Vaid, School Principal Mrs Kamaljit Kaur Vaid, besides several others.