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Ahead of polls, Amarinder declares Malerkotla as Punjab’s 23rd district
The chief minister said a medical college, a degree college, a women’s police station and a smart school would be set up in Malerkotla, Punjab’s only Muslim-dominated town
As the state heads for elections early next year, Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh fulfilled a long-pending demand of announcing Malerkotla as the 23rd district of the state on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday.
Making the announcement virtually from Chandigarh, the chief minister said a medical college, a degree college, a women’s police station and a smart school would be set up in Malerkotla, Punjab’s only Muslim-dominated town.
Malerkotla, which is around 35km from the Sangrur district headquarters, a district status was a pre-poll promise by the Congress.
The CM said initially the sub-divisions of Malerkotla and Ahmedgarh, as well as the sub-tehsil of Amargarh, would be included in the new district. The process of bringing villages under the jurisdiction of Malerkotla district would begin later, after the census, he added.
Amarinder directed Sangrur deputy commissioner Ramvir to find a suitable building to immediately start the functioning of the district administration office. The deputy commissioner for the newly carved out district would be appointed soon, he said.
“A government medical college in the name of Nawab Sher Mohammed Khan, who raised his voice against the inhuman act of torture and bricking alive the younger Sahibzadas, would soon be set up at a cost of ₹500 crore. The state government had already allotted 25 acres of land on Raikot Road to enable the local boys and girls to pursue medical education. The first instalment of ₹50 crore for the purpose had already been sanctioned,” the CM added.
Amarinder also announced the establishment of a government college for girls, a women police station, to be exclusively managed by women, and a new bus stand to be constructed at a cost of ₹10 crore and ₹6 crore under the Urban Environment Improvement Programme (UEIP) for the new district.
Local MLA and transport minister Razia Sultana said that it was a historic occasion as the CM had accepted a long-pending demand of residents and it will also benefit the party in the upcoming polls. Seven screens were installed in the town for live telecast of the events from Chandigarh and Malerkotla.
