The Punjab government will take strict action against those educational institutions found discouraging the use of Punjabi language in their campuses, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Monday. Mann was addressing a gathering during the concluding day of the inter-university youth festival at Punjabi University here, an official release said.
The chief minister said it has come to his notice that some educational institutions are imposing fines on students for speaking in Punjabi as a means of communication within the school campus.This is unwarranted and undesirable as Punjabi is the mother tongue of Punjabis residing in the state, he said and warned institutions of strict punitive action if any such fine was imposed.
Mann exhorted the youth to play a proactive role and support the state government to make Punjab a frontrunner state across the globe. The youth of the state has been blessed with unbounded energy and talent that had always acted as a catalyst in bringing positive change in the society, he added. He said time has come when the youth must contribute positively to the socio-economic development of the state and the society.
The state government is committed for the well-being and progress of the state, the chief minister said. He said the government is according a top priority to the education sector. “Education is a key for the success of every individual and no stone will be left unturned to ensure quality education to every youth of the state,” Mann said.
The government has ample funds for strengthening and rejuvenating the education system in the state, he added. Mann said the state government is making concerted efforts for providing jobs to the youth, adding it has already started recruitment processes in various departments of the state.
More than 20,000 government job letters have been given to the youths of the state and more such jobs are in the pipeline, he added. Mann also said the state was fortunate to have got two sessions of the G20 summit, first on March 15, 16 and 17 on education and then on June 22 and 23 on labour.
The state is known all over the world for its warm hospitality and no stone will be left unturned for welcoming the guests from participating nations during these events, he said. The chief minister said these sessions will be held at the sacred land of Amritsar where lakhs of devotees every day pay obeisance at the Golden Temple, Durgiana Mandir, Sri Ram Tirath, Jallianwala Bagh.
He said the visiting guests will be offered the traditional Punjabi food and they will also be given a glimpse of rich Punjabi culture. If the dignitaries wish to visit other districts of state like sports hub Jalandhar then adequate arrangements will also be made for their journey, he said as per the release.
(With PTI inputs)
