CM announces free education and health care facilities for migrants in Punjab

Amritsar, November 4, 2013: Lauding the role played by the migrant labourers in the overall development of the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced to provide free education and Health care facilities besides housing facility to them on easy installments.

Addressing a mammoth gathering in a function organised by Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Parishad to celebrate Vishwakarma Diwas here today, the Chief Minister said that through their sheer hard work the migrant labourers have played a vanguard role in putting the state on high growth trajectory. He said that the migrant labourers have proved their mettle in every field adding that it was the bounden duty of the state government to ensure the well being of these people, who were contributing to the economic development of the state by staying away from their families. He said that the state government would leave no stone unturned to ensure the welfare of these people and thrust would be laid on delivering the basic civic amenities to them.

The Chief Minister announced that the state government would soon open schools and primary Health care centers/ dispensaries in the migrant dominated areas to impart quality education and Health care facilities to them. He said that the state government would bear the entire expenditure of these educational and Health care centers to ensure that the families of the migrants do not face any sort of problem. Badal said that he had directed the Deputy Commissioners across the state to conduct special surveys for identifying the places to construct the schools and Dispensaries in these areas.

The Chief Minister also announced to provide housing facility to the migrants at easy installments. He said that the migrants would not have to pay the cost of land for these houses and the construction charges would be collected from them through easy installments. He said that the state government would ensure that one third of the houses constructed under housing schemes were reserved specially for the migrants to make sure that these people ‘feel at home’ in the state.

The Chief Minister also said that special camps would be organised across the state by the district administrations to make Ration cards, Adhaar cards and Voter cards of all the eligible migrants. He said that even the eligible beneficiaries would also be entitled for getting the facility of subsidized Atta-Dal under the flagship Atta-Dal scheme of the state government. Badal said that he would personally monitor the development of all these schemes and ensure that the migrants were benefitted from it.

Lashing out at the Congress party, the Chief Minister said that the pro-rich policies of the Congress party have broken the backbone of the common man. He said that the Congress party has done nothing for the poor people rather than shedding crocodile tears on the issues pertaining to them. Badal said that Congress has always befooled the poor people by showing them ‘green pastures’ through its lucrative announcements but in the end all these policies have remained confined upto paper only.

Paying rich tributes to Lord Vishwakarma, the Chief Minister said that this divine architect of the entire universe, was believed to be the master of all machinery and equipments being used by the people in the industrial activities. He said that since ages this great Deity of all craftsmen and architects has inspired the artisans, workers and labour class to work hard with utmost dedication and commitment to develop the nation. Badal said that Lord Vishwakarma has inculcated a feeling of dignity of labour and a sense of pride amongst the working class.

The Chief Minister impressed upon the workers and craftsmen to make a pledge on this sacred day that they would make concerted efforts for strengthening the infrastructure of the state. He said that it would not only help in putting the state on high growth trajectory but would also be a real and befitting tribute to Lord Vishwakarma.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Chief Parliamentary Secretary Inderbir Singh Bularia, SGPC Members Jathedar Rajinder Singh Mehta and Jathedar Bawa Singh Ghumanpura, Senior Deputy Mayor Avtar Singh, President District Akali Jatha Upkar Singh Sandhu, Chairman Uttar Pradesh Kalyan Parishad Ram Charan Yadav and his Special Principal Secretary Gurkirat Kirpal Singh.