Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh this week digitally launched online programmes started by the Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU) in Amritsar for the Punjabi diaspora.
Reviewing the functioning of the Higher Education and Languages Department, the Chief Minister ordered the release of Rs 5 crore for establishing a language award to promote Punjabi.
The Chief Minister said the online courses would go a long way in helping youngsters learn the Punjabi language, and imbue them with the spirit of ‘Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat’.
This endeavour would also keep the Punjabi youth abreast of Punjab’s rich and glorious cultural heritage, thus connecting them with their ancestral roots.
GNDU Vice-Chancellor Jaspal Singh Sandhu said the University Grants Commission had granted permission to start courses in 37 universities out of the 981 universities and GNDU is the only public university in the state to have been given this honour to cater to the constant demand of the Punjabi diaspora in the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Europe and
parts of Africa.
Meanwhile, Amarinder Singh on Thursday urged Congress MPs from the state to put pressure the Centre to augment supplies of oxygen, tankers, vaccines and vital medicines to help the state government fight the deadly the second wave of the pandemic.
He wanted the Centre to enhance the state’s quota of oxygen and dispatch additional tankers on priority to enable lifting of the full allocated quota of 195 metric tonnes (MT) on a daily basis.