Rs 1,000 monthly aid promise for Punjab women to be fulfilled in next budget: CM reiterates
Hoshiarpur (PTI): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday reiterated that his government will fulfil its promise of giving Rs 1,000 to every woman, with provisions to be made in the forthcoming state budget.
Addressing a gathering after inaugurating an eco-tourism project at the Saleran Dam here, Mann asserted that the AAP government is generating employment by developing Punjab's tourism destinations.
"In the Punjab budget, the promise of Rs 1,000 to every woman will be fulfilled," he said here.
Mann, while speaking at the state-level Maghi Mela gathering in Sri Muktsar Sahib on January 14, had assured that the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) poll promise of providing Rs 1,000 per month to every woman in the state would be fulfilled soon.
The AAP government has drawn flak from rival parties, who have accused it of making lofty promises at the time of polls, but failing to deliver after coming to power.
Mann also expressed hope that the Union government would announce a special package for Punjab in the upcoming Union Budget, saying, "Punjab's contribution to the nation in every sector deserves recognition".
In his address at Saleran Dam, Mann said film shoots and destination weddings at places such as Amritsar, Patiala and Chimraud Lake have already led to increased employment opportunities. He said the Saleran Dam project will compete with the tourism destinations of Himachal Pradesh.
The AAP government has revived 52 rest houses that had fallen into disrepair and are now generating around Rs 1 crore in monthly rental revenue. He alleged that previous dispensations had sold government properties to their associates at throwaway prices, while the present regime had recovered those assets.
Speaking to reporters, Mann said, "Today we have inaugurated the Saleran Dam eco-tourism project to further strengthen tourism infrastructure in the state. The Chohal Dam project is already running successfully, and this new initiative will be another attraction for tourists".
The project has been conceived at a cost of Rs 2.80 crore and is expected to generate more than Rs 18 lakh in annual revenue, he said.
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"This project will attract tourists to the area, create job opportunities for local youth and significantly boost their income," he added.
Highlighting the facilities created under the project, the CM said, "A special playground spread over 16,000 square feet has been constructed for children, with a multi-play station and other recreational activities."
"Four eco huts have been constructed for tourists to stay, and a cafeteria with seating capacity for 80 people has also been built," he said. A large amphitheatre has been developed to offer scenic views of the dam, he said.
Lamenting the alleged neglect of these regions in the past, Mann said the previous governments failed to tap their tourism potential despite their natural beauty.
"Strenuous efforts are already underway to develop the entire region so that tourism in the state gets a major boost," he said.
Referring to steps taken by his government to revive the state's tourism infrastructure, Mann said, "The state government has revived 75 abandoned rest houses, which are now generating revenue of around Rs 1 crore".
On the economic and agricultural initiatives, Mann said, "The Punjab government has partnered with a Japanese company which will invest Rs 1,300 crore to boost horticulture in the state".
This would help save precious groundwater while promoting crop diversification, he said.
On law and order, the chief minister said it was ironic that those who once patronised gangsters were now questioning the situation.
He cited state government's initiatives like 'Yudh Nashean Virudh' and 'Gangsteraan te Vaar' aimed at cracking down on drug smugglers and gangsters.
Mann also said anti-drone technology has been deployed along the International Border and has shown encouraging results in curbing the inflow of drugs and weapons.
"Our aim is to stop cross-border terrorism and narco-terrorism. Punjab is the first state in the country to adopt this technology," he said.
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Class 12 final exams of Odisha board begin amid tight security
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The class 12 final examinations of the Odisha board began on Wednesday amid heavy security, officials said.
A total of 4.01 lakh students are appearing for the exams being conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE), Odisha, across 1,364 centres, they said.
The exams began with Science papers, while those for the Arts and Commerce streams will start on Friday. The exam will continue till March 28, they added.
A total of 2.56 lakh students are enrolled in the Arts stream, 1.14 lakh in Science, and 24,621 in Commerce, CHSE's Controller of Examinations Prasanta Kumar Parida said.
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There are also 5,932 students of vocational studies, he said.
The exam began at 10 am and will end at 1 pm, he added
Parida said live streaming of all examination centres has been made available, while 211 question paper hubs are being monitored with "AI technology".
Special squads have been deployed to conduct surprise inspections to check any malpractices, he added.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended greetings to all the students appearing for the examination.
"The examination is a beautiful reflection of your knowledge and hard work. There is no need to put any fear or stress in your mind for it. Remember, your performance will be of high quality only if you appear for the examination not under pressure, but with patience," he posted on X.
The practical examinations were conducted between January 2 and 15.
