Punjab would shortly introduce technical and vocational education and skill training in as many as 300 new schools to enable the youth to become self-employed and stand on their own feet. This was stated by the minister for jails, tourism cultural affairs and printing, Sohan Singh Thandal, here on Tuesday.
Thandal was speaking on the national nursing day function held at the Bhai Gurdas Institute. He reiterated the government commitment to give top priority to education in the state and outlined the steps being taken to make education meaningful and purposeful.
Calling nursing a 'noble and honest' profession, he said it has to be pursued with compassion and humility. When the world remembers Florence Nightingale, who dedicated her life to the service of humanity, "we should not forget Bhai Ghanaiya and Bhagat Puran Singh for their selfless services to the destitute and the sick".
Chairman of the institute Hakam Singh Jawanda welcomed the chief guest and also the chief parliamentary secretary Parkash Chand Garg. Several nursing students were honoured and awarded for their good performance.
Talking to the media on the occasion, Thandal said Punjab was the only state where dogs have been trained to check smuggling of narcotics into the jails. Also, telephone facilities have been provided to enable prisoners and undertrials talk to their families for not more than two minutes and every call is properly recorded and registered. This was done to discourage use and misuse of cell phones by the inmates. Admitting overcrowding in the jails, he said four new jails were under construction, while capacity of some of the jails was being enhanced.
On tourism, he said efforts were on to make Punjab a tourist destination hub.
Talking to the media on the occasion, Thandal said Punjab was the only state where dogs have been trained to check smuggling of narcotics into the jails. Also, telephone facilities have been provided to enable prisoners and undertrials talk to their families for not more than two minutes and every call is properly recorded and registered. This was done to discourage use and misuse of cell phones by the inmates. Admitting overcrowding in the jails, he said four new jails were under construction, while capacity of some of the jails was being enhanced.
On tourism, he said efforts were on to make Punjab a tourist destination hub.