Harbhajan Singh ETO hoists Tricolour at Patiala on 79th Independence Day
Power and Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO on Friday hoisted the national flag during the 79th Independence Day celebrations at the Raja Bhalinder Singh Sports Complex, Polo Ground, Patiala.
Extending heartfelt greetings to the people of Punjab, he paid rich tributes to the freedom fighters, martyrs and warriors of various movements who laid down their lives for the nation’s independence. He honoured the descendants of freedom fighters, including Mohkam Singh Chauhan, with special felicitations.
Addressing the gathering, ETO said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab is moving rapidly towards becoming a prosperous, happy and progressive state.
He reaffirmed the government’s resolve to fulfil the dreams of the martyrs and ensure the overall development of Patiala which, he said, had been neglected by previous governments.
The minister highlighted that a Rs 110 crore project under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme had been initiated in Patiala district for laying new lines, installing transformers and upgrading the power network to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to residents.
He added that more than 55,000 youth had been provided jobs, the honorarium for the families of martyrs had been doubled from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore, and Agniveers had been brought under the ambit of this scheme. The government has also implemented 600 units of free electricity for households, eight hours of assured supply for farmers, and a Rs10 lakh health insurance cover for all.
Elaborating on infrastructure development, the minister said 2,173 km of new roads are being built at a cost of Rs 2,130 crore, 34 bridges worth Rs185 crore have been completed, and 20 toll plazas shut to provide relief to the public.
ETO announced that the state will commemorate the 350th martyrdom day of Guru Tegh Bahadur from November 19 to 25 with great devotion, for which a special budget has been earmarked to develop religious sites related to the Guru Teg Bahadur.
Patiala