2nd death anniversary: Skill India centre to come up in memory of Parkash Singh Badal
Lauding the Centre government's decision to open Parkash Singh Badal Skill India Centre, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said on Friday that the SAD patriarch was a true mass leader with a futuristic vision.
Addressing a gathering on an event to mark the second death anniversary of the late chief minister at his native place in Muktsar's Badal village, Sukhbir said: 'It was during the Badal saab tenure when Punjab became the first state in India to start a skill development push. Later, it was adopted by the Union government to empower youth with the skills to meet the diverse demands of different industries.'
According to Sandeep Kaura, adviser, national skill development corporation, the upcoming project would be started at the premises of Mata Jaswant Kaur School, run by the Badal family, having a capacity to train about 2,000 youth in different trades, healthcare, construction, agricultural technology and sports infrastructure.
Handing over the project approval documents to Sukhbir on the death anniversary, Kaura said the initiative has been conceptualised as a befitting tribute to the late CM.
'I have been entrusted by the central authorities to supervise the project and we hope to make it functional in the next 2-3 months. The centre would have the capacity to train youth to cater to the job industry in India and abroad. Youth will be assisted to make them eligible for jobs in different foreign countries for high-demand jobs in diverse sectors of construction work and other fields,' added Kaura.
During his address, the SAD chief gave a call to party workers to make the party win the next assembly elections in 2027 while following the political footprints of the late Parkash Singh Badal.
'Bapu Badal dedicated his life to the overall development without any discrimination of faith. He was liked and respected, cutting across political or religious lines. His political legacy is our asset,' asserted Sukhbir.
Akal Takht jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj remembered the late CM's role in constructing the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War Memorial at Chappar Chiri, Mohali, and the Sham Singh Attariwala War Memorial on Heritage Street in Amritsar.
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) chief Harjinder Singh Dhami was also present on the occasion and cautioned the SAD leadership to stay away from those who indulge in sycophancy and backbiting.
Former finance minister and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Manpreet Badal said a true tribute to the late CM is in working against anti-national forces, unemployment and batting for inclusive development.
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