Jalandhar:PunjabChief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today made an impassioned appeal to the Non Resident Punjabis (NRPs), to play a proactive role in perpetuating the rich cultural legacy amongst their younger generations so that they could be ever attached with the ‘soil of their forefathers’.
Addressing a massive gathering of NRP delegates on the concluding day of two days Pravasi Punjabi Sammellan here, the Chief Minister said that the youth born and raised abroad must be given schooling upto 12th standard in the state and the Punjab government with your active participation and able management would ensure to provide an aura of best educational facilities to enable them to feel at home here. He even said that the state government would bear the entire expenditure on schooling of these children. Mr. Badal without mincing any words asked the NRPs that this was all the more important because if they missed the bus this time then they would have to repent for times to come as their younger generations would be completely detached from their roots forever. The Chief Minister said that he could well appreciate the agony faced by NRPs when despite of having everything in terms of wealth, name and fame they were desperate to have basic spirit of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat missing from their children and called for thorough introspection otherwise they would be left in lurch.
The Chief Minister further said that NRP Sammellan should be made broad based by having live interaction with various groups of businessmen, traders, entrepreneurs, Doctors and engineers so that they could share their first hand experiences and success stories to encourage their Punjabi brethren here back in their motherland. Patting the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal and NRI Affairs Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, the Chief Minister said that they deserve kudos for organizing this mega event successfully. Appreciating the unbounded abilities and capabilities of Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Badal said that he was a satisfied father when he sees his son Mr. Sukhbir working relentlessly to serve the people of Punjab with utmost dedication and zeal to emerge the state as number one in the country.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister flanked by Deputy Chief Minister and Mr. Majithia also released the musical album ‘Sikh Hon Da Mann’ by eminent Punjabi singer Mr. Malkiat Singh. In his address, Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today asked the entire Punjabi Diaspora to work together for the welfare of community as the united Punjabis could influence the foreign policies and bilateral relations between the countries. Giving clarion call to the Non Resident Punjabis (NRPs) to imbibe the socio-cultural and religious tenets amongst the third generation living abroad, Mr. Badal said that it was need of the hour to showcase the progress, growth and development ofPunjabto the coming generations to give further strength to emotional connect.
In his inaugural address, NRI Affairs Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia said thatPunjabhas fulfilled 90 percent promises made with the NRPs besides accepting their demands. He said that history would script the sincere efforts of Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal government towards the welfare of Punjabi Diaspora. Asking the elected representatives of NRPs to use their influence to flourish trade and commerce activities between East and West Punjab besides exploiting untapped potential of trade with central asia viaAfghanistan, Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia said that this could be only possible by reviving the old silk route.