Malerkotla will become a district soon: Navjot Singh Sidhu
Sidhu made the announcement at an Eid-ul-Fitr function here. Sidhu and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal had come to congratulate the Muslim community on the occasion.
Local government, tourism and cultural affairs minister Navjot Singh Sidhu said here on Monday that Malerkolta would be made a district soon as the Congress had promised before the state assembly elections.
Sidhu made the announcement at an Eid-ul-Fitr function here. Sidhu and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal had come to congratulate the Muslim community on the occasion.
Malerkotla, situated around 35km from the Sangrur district headquarters, is the only Muslim-dominated assembly segment in Punjab. It is represented by minister Razia Sultana.
Capt Amarinder Singh had promised to upgrade Malerkotla as a district ahead of the elections. The state already has 22 districts.
Sidhu also announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh for an eidgah in Malerkotla. He also said that the promise of establishing a government medical college here would also be fulfilled soon. He said that the Muslim community would be accorded due respect in the Congress government.
Public works department (PWD) minister, Punjab, Razia Sultana, said that Eid-ul-Fitr is a symbol of peace, amity and compassion and depicts the secular culture of the state in a positive way.
Manpreet Singh Badal said that Prophet Muhammad Sahib gave the message of peace, brotherhood and mutual co-existence to the world. The minister exhorted the people to continue making efforts to ensure that the financially deprived sections of the society are also included in the festivities.
The finance minister announced Rs 1 crore on behalf of the Punjab government for the eidgah and said that the first budget of the Congress government has major announcements to provide necessary facilities to the Muslim community, which includes a Rs 3 crore Urdu academy at Malerkotla, Rs 10 crore for graveyards in the state and for various welfare schemes.
