New Delhi, September 29:- Punjab Governor and Administrator of UT Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, held a series of meetings with the Hon’ble President of India, the Vice President and Union Ministers in New Delhi today. During these meetings, he discussed key issues related to the development and public welfare of Punjab and Chandigarh, including de-addiction, healthcare services, education, flood management and cultural development.
Shri Kataria paid a courtesy call on the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, and invited her to attend the ‘Vijay Diwas’ ceremony at the Asafwala War Memorial in Fazilka district of Punjab in December.
Earlier, Shri Kataria met the Vice President of India, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan. In view of the commitment made by the Vice President during his recent visit to Panjab University, Chandigarh, they discussed the goal of making Panjab University the number one university.
During his meeting with Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, Shri Kataria discussed steps to make Chandigarh drug-free. He sought the Centre’s assistance in the rehabilitation of people affected by drug addiction, their skill training after rehabilitation and providing them with suitable employment opportunities so that they can start a new life.
During the meeting with Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda, the Governor sought 36 additional postgraduate seats in the medical college. He also requested financial assistance of Rs. 2,000 crore for developing the ‘Chandigarh Regional Medical Hub’ project entirely at government expense.
During the meeting with Union Education Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi, Shri Kataria demanded that the ‘Punjab Engineering College’ be made a fully Centrally Funded Technical Institution (CFTI) on the lines of the ‘Bengal College of Engineering Shibpur’ in West Bengal. In addition, he appealed for the appointment of a Vice Chancellor for the college, which currently enjoys the status of a ‘Deemed University’ under UGC Regulations, 2018.
During the meeting with Union Minister for Jal Shakti Shri Chandrakant Raghunath Patil, the Governor raised the issue of heavy damage caused by floods in the Ravi River in the border areas of Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Pathankot. He demanded the preparation of a long-term plan to protect the region from recurring floods and to find a permanent solution to the problem.
Shri Kataria expressed his gratitude to Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who has approved Rs. 93 crore for ‘Ajj Sarovar’ in Kharar and approximately Rs. 19 crore for setting up a ‘Digital Museum’ at the ‘Le Corbusier Centre’ in Sector-19, Chandigarh.
The main objective of these meetings was to further strengthen coordination with the Central Government and expedite schemes related to the welfare and development of the people of Punjab and Chandigarh.
