-No Need to Panic, Punjab Fully Geared Up to deal with COVID: Health Minister
-Recruitment of 4,000 Posts in Health Department Started, More Recruitments Soon-Health Minister
-Balbir Singh Sidhu Hoists Tricolor at Patiala To Mark 74th Independence Day
-Pays Rich Tributes to the Great Patriots Who Made Sacrifices for the Struggle of Country
Patiala, August 15:
Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Labour Minister, Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that just as the Punjabis had won the war of independence, with the same courage and fortitude, the war waged by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh against Corona, would also be won under ‘Mission Fateh’. “But in order to contribute to this war, we need to follow the social distance, wearing of masks and other health advisories,” he said.
Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu was delivering his message here after hoisting the National Flag at Raja Bhalindra Singh Sports Complex, Polo Ground, Patiala during the district level function held on the occasion of 74th Independence Day of the country. Due to the COVID epidemic, the event was celebrated by the district administration in a concise and simple manner.
Congratulating the people on the occasion of Independence Day, Balbir Singh Sidhu paid homage to the great martyrs like Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Kartar Singh Sarabha and Madan Lal Dhingra Diwan Singh Kalepani, Shaheed Udham Singh and other freedom fighters who sacrificed themselves for the freedom of country.
Informing about the important steps taken by the state government against the COVID epidemic, Mr. Sidhu said that Punjab Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh had made all necessary arrangements to deal with Corona by adding that there was no need to panic but the advisories issued by the government and health experts must be followed.
The Health Minister said that while the government was increasing the number of COVID tests to 20,000 per day, the Health and Family Welfare Department was recruiting around 4,000 of vacancies in the first phase and many more would also be started soon.
Appreciating Corona Warriors and Mission Fateh Warriors who rendered services in this testing time of COVID, the Health Minister appealed to the people to take precautionary measures against the epidemic as well as get conduct tests on being developing the symptoms of Corona.
Mr. Sidhu said that Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh had assured all Punjabis by saying “saving the life of every Punjabi is the first duty of his government and your (people’s) government stands by you (People) in this difficult time. Together we will “conquer the mission” against Corona.”
Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu said that at present we are going through the most difficult and challenging time of independent India when the Corona epidemic has gripped our state, country and the whole world. But the cure rate of COVID patients in Punjab is 70 percent which is better than other states of the country. But we still have a lot to do in this fight, so cooperation of public is much needed.
The Health Minister said that although Corona has slowed down the pace of development in the world but we are proud that under the leadership of Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh, Punjab has given importance to Agriculture, Power, Infrastructure, Urban Development, Rural Development, Education, Health, Industry, Civic Services by eradicating the VIP culture.
Elaborating on the austerity measures being taken by the government to eradicate drugs from the state, Mr. Sidhu said that it was a great achievement of the Punjab Government that 5.68 lakh drug addicts had been registered for treatment.
Referring to the achievements of the government, the Health Minister said that the Captain Government had made a concerted effort for the heirs of the martyrs while the long pending demand for compensation for the widows of the martyrs of 1962, 1965 and 1971 wars had also been approved. He said that the Government has fulfilled its election promise by distributing smart phones to the students under Punjab Smart Connect scheme.
He said that besides providing more employment opportunities to the youth through under Ghar Ghar Rozgar scheme, the two-year extension in the tenure of government employees has also been abolished so that more and more young people could join the government service.
On this occasion, Parade Commander DSP City-1, Mr. Yogesh Kumar led the three units of District Police personnel besides band party of IRB and presented the salute to the National flag. Mr. Kumar Amit, Deputy Commissioner and Mr. Varun Sharma S.P. City called escorted the Health Minister during flag hoisting ceremony. While Mr. Chander Gaind, Divisional Commissioner and District Administrative officials also honored Mr. Balbir Singh Sidhu.
During the function, MLA Samana S. Rajinder Singh, Senior Congress Leader Harinderpal Singh Harrymann, PRTC Chairman K.K. Sharma, Chairperson Punjab State Welfare Board Mrs. Gursharan Kaur Randhawa, Mayor Mr. Sanjeev Sharma Bittu, Improvement Trust Chairman Sant Lal Banga, Senior Vice Chairman of Khadi Board Mr. Anil Mehta , Senior Vice Chairperson of Women’s Commission Mrs. Bimala Sharma, President of Urban Congress Mr. K.K. Malhotra, President of Mahila Congress Mrs. Kiran Dhillon, Mr. Sonu Sangar, Mr. Naresh Duggal, Mr. Vijay Kuka, Youth Congress President Mr. Anuj Khosla, Mr. Sandeep Malhotra, Vice Chairman of Kamboj Welfare Board Mr. Udham Singh Kamboj and other dignitaries participated.
Mr. Rajinder Agarwal, District and Sessions Judge, Patiala and other Judicial Officers, Mr. Kumar Amit, Deputy Commissioner, Municipal Commissioner Mrs. Punamdeep Kaur, PDA Chief Administrator Mrs. Surbhi Malik, ADC (D) Dr. Preeti Yadav, ADC (G) Mrs. Pooja Sayal Grewal, Senior Superintendent, Patiala Postal Division, Aarti Verma, Assistant Commissioner (UT) Dr. Nirmal Ouseppachan, SP (H) S. Navneet Singh Bains, SP PBI Dr. Simrat Kaur, SP Investigation Harmeet Singh Hundal, SP Mr. Palwinder Singh Cheema, Assistant Commissioner (G) Dr. Ismat Vijay Singh, SDM Mr. Charanjit Singh, Joint Commissioner Avikesh Kumar, S. Jagnoor Singh, Miss Jasleen Kaur, Civil Surgeon Dr. Harish Malhotra and other Civil and police officials and other dignitaries were present.
Meanwhile, SDM at Sub Division Dudhan Sadhan Mr. Akunarjit Singh hoisted the National Flag while SDM at Sub Division Patran Dr. Palika Arora hoisted the Tricolour. While in Sub Division Nabha SDM Mr. Kala Ram Kansal, SDM Naman Madkan at Sub Division Samana and SDM Rajpura S. Khushdil Singh hoisted the flag at their sub divisions.
Photo Caption- Punjab Health and Family Welfare and Labour Minister Sh. Balbir Singh Sidhu hoists the National Flag at the Polo Ground in Patiala on the occasion of Independence Day.
