Preneet Kaur distributes 500 blankets to needy on occasion of Lohri

Patiala: Mrs. Preneet Kaur, Member of Parliament from Patiala distributed blankets and Lohri to 500 persons while celebrating Lohri festival with the poor and needy people of the city here today.  Similarly, about 300 Patiala Slum Dwellers would also get Proprietary Rights of their  residences as Lohri Bonanza by the next month, she added. Recalling great sons of soil who laid down their lives during agitation, the gathering led by MP Preneet Kaur paid homage by standing in respect of these deceased farmers .

Addressing a function at the local circuit house, Mrs. Preneet Kaur congratulated the people on the auspicious occasion of Lohri and said that the Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had implemented plenty of welfare schemes for all sections of people of the state to fulfil most of its election manifesto announcements.

Dedicating this Lohri festival to Punjab's proud daughters, the Member of Parliament lauded the month-long campaign 'Dhiyan Di Lohri' launched by the Chief Minister and said that more than 1.5 lakh girls of the state were born during the last one year. The parents of those who are celebrating their first Lohri will be handed over Shagun, baby kits for each child and felicitation letters signed by the Chief Minister.

Praising the steps taken by the Punjab Government for the empowerment of daughters, Mrs. Preneet Kaur said that the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had widened the scope of the Shagun Scheme for daughters by increasing the amount given to them after the formation of his government.

Terming the reservation in Government Jobs for females as another Lohri Bonanza to the daughters of Punjab, she said that this is the another historic decision taken by the Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, besides the earlier implementation of fifty percent reservation for women in local bodies and Panchayat Elections.

She also appealed to the parents to "empower their daughters by educating them and providing them equal opportunities to grow in this world", which she said "would prove to be our most precious gift to our daughters."

Mrs. Preneet Kaur also gave greetings for Makar Sankrati on this occasion and prayed to God that on this auspicious occasion of happiness and joy, the Central Government will come to it's senses and repeal the Black Agriculture Act so that our farmers could return home happily.        

Recalling Maghi as the holy day of reunion of fourty Sikh Pupils with Guru Gobind Singh Ji who had come to their homes from Sri Anandpur Sahib by writing a disclaimer against Guru Sahib and later on fought against the Mughal army in the sacred land of Sri Muktsar.  

Intercating with the media,  Mrs. Preneet Kaur said that the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had first raised his voice in the favour of the farmers in the country and then showed the way to the rest of states by rejecting the Anti Farm Laws in Vidhan Sabha.  

She said that Punjab Government has stood firm by the farmers, by providing the families of the deceased farmers who had sacrificed their lives during the ongoing farm struggle, with an ex gratia grant of Rs. 5 lakh each.

Prominent amongst others, present on the occasion, included Municipal Corporation Mayor Sanjeev Sharma Bittu, OSD/CM

Mr.  Amrit Pratap Singh Honey Sekhon, Deputy Principal Secretary/CM Rajesh Kumar Sharma, Director Pungrain Rajnish Shorie, Deputy Mayor Vinti Sangar, District President (Urban) Congress K.K.  Malhotra, President Women Cell  Kiran Dhillon, District Youth Congress President (Urban) Anuj Khosla and city councilors and other dignitaries.