Lauding the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi for making all out efforts to make India a leading country in the world, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today exhorted the youth to work whole heartedly for achieving this target.
Addressing the gathering during the fourth convocation of Lovely Professional University (LPU) here today, the Chief Minister said that country was fortunate to have a visionary and dynamic Prime Minister like Mr. Modi, who has envisioned to make India as Number one in every field. However, he said that the dream of Prime Minister could only be fulfilled with the active support and cooperation of the public especially the youth. “All us have to jointly make efforts for fulfilling the dream of Prime Minster by further putting the country on high growth trajectory” added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister said that today’s era was an era of science and technology, so the need of the day was to impart result oriented skill education to the youth. He said that it was all the more important to make the youth self reliant by providing them opportunities of gainful employment. Mr. Badal said that the state government has planned to open a number of skill centers in the state that 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.
The Chief Minister said that these centre, to be established under the Punjab State Skill Development Mission, would act as a game changer by changing the fortunes of the youth of the state.
Badal said that he had series of parleys with the Industrialists of the state to set up integrated skill training centers that could provide specialized skill training to the youth. “It is the high time to infuse the scientific temper amongst our youth to make the Punjab a frontrunner state” he added. Listing the achievements of the state government in the field of education, the Chief Minister said that the state government was fully sensitized about the need of providing quality education to the students to enable them to meet the challenges across the globe. He said that due to concerted efforts of the state government Punjab was today leading the country in the field of education.
Badal said that Education was one of the key priorities of the state Government and no stone would be left unturned for providing world class education to the students. The Chief Minister said that the all out efforts being made by the state government had fructified as the state has got premier institutes like IIM, IIT, IIIT, Indian School of Business and others which would give major fillip to the education in the state. He said that ever since assuming power the state government has set up 12 new Universities and 19 Degree Colleges in the state. Mr. Badal said that in order to boost technical education in the Malwa hinterland of the state Maharaja Ranjit Singh Technical University Bathinda was being set up by the state government.
The Chief Minister further said that in order to open new vistas for the children of weaker sections of the society, the state government has been laying special thrust on imparting quality education to them. He said that apart from upgrading the infra structure in all the government schools, six new schools have been opened for the bright students of the weaker sections, who secure 80% or more marks in tenth class from the government schools. Mr. Badal said that the state government was providing free education to these students along with boarding and lodging facilities. In his address the Governor of Punjab Prof. Kaptaan Singh Solanki said that the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has initiated a number of programs like Made in India, Digital India and Swacch Bharat, which were aimed at holistic development of the country. However, he said that all these targets could not be achieved without the active support and cooperation of the youth. “Students are the fate of the country and fortune of the world so you have to play an important role for the transformation of the country” Prof. Solanki added.
Prof. Solanki, said that Education in India has been seen as an effective tool for social change, for empowerment of the people, and for sustained economic development. He said institutions should continuously learn, improve and upgrade their knowledge, to face the emerging challenges of globalization. The Governor said that Professional Institutions should focus on all levels of teachings, research, extension and consultancy.The Governor hailed the Lovely Professional University for providing a complete, meaningful and relevant education to the youth of Punjab and the neighbouring States. Congratulating all the students who received their degrees today, Prof. Solanki, said the Convocation was an important milestone in the educational journey of the students. He implored them to face the challenges of the outside world with a positive attitude. The Governor exhorted the students that in this competitive age, focus should be on enhancing capabilities and confidence to achieve excellence through commitment, vision, determination and hard work.
Proposing a vote of thanks for all the dignitaries, the Editor-in-Chief of Ajit group of Newspapers Dr. Barjinder Singh Hamdard expressed gratitude towards President of Maurituous Mr. Kailash Purryag, Punjab Governor Prof. Kaptaan Singh Solanki and Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal for sparing their valuable time to felicitate the students. He also recalled the age old ties between the people of Mauritius and India. Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr. Harcharan Bains, Deputy Commissioner Kapurthala Mr. DS Mangat, Chancellor LPU Mr. Ashok Mittal and Pro-Vice Chancellor LPU Mrs. Rashmi Mittal.