The Punjab government today gave in principle approval to set up education cities at Mullanpur, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda to provide international quality education to the students. A decision to this effect was taken in a high level meeting presided over by Deputy Chief Minster Sukhbir Singh Badal here today. Badal said that these education cities would attract international universities to set up their campuses and these education cities would be developed on Oxford pattern. Badal said that with the increasing global competition, it was imperative for all of us to provide our students exposure to best possible education and these education cities would be catalytic in sharpening the skills of students.Asking Chief Secretary to identify suitable chunk of land at Mullanpur, Ludhiana, Amritsar and Bathinda, create a land bank, provide world class road networking and invite international universities to set up their campus there. He said that Punjab is all set to become education hub of North India with setting up of education cities at four places. Badal also asked Chief Secretary to put the process of setting up of International Trade Centres at Mohali and Amritsar on fast track so that industry in Punjab could showcase its product for international market. Prominent amongst those who included in the meeting were Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister, Rakesh Singh, Chief Secretary, D.S. Bains, Principal Secretary Home, G.S. Sandhu, Financial Commissioner Development, P.S. Aujla, Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister, Anurag Agarwal, MD PIDB and Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Special Principal Secretary to Deputy Chief Minister.