Flag off first train carrying 1300 passengers to Sri Hazur Sahib
Dhuri (Sangrur), November 27, 2023 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann accompanied by the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday launched the Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra Scheme to facilitate the people to pay obeisance at the sacred places across the country.
Addressing the gathering after launching Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra Scheme on the auspicious Parkash Purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji here today, the Chief Minister said that this scheme is in line with the teachings and philosophy of the great Guru who had gave the message of universal love brotherhood and peace to the people. He said that a large section of society was not able to visit these sacred places across the country due to one reason or another. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has started this scheme to facilitate the pilgrims to visit the various holy places across the country and state.
The Chief Minister said that today 300 pilgrims from Amritsar, 220 from Jalandhar and more than 500 from Dhuri will be travelling to Sri Hazur Sahib through this train. He said that more than 50000 pilgrims will be availing this facility over three months adding that 13000 of them will travel via trains, with 13 trains carrying 1000 passengers each leaving every eight days. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the remaining will be travelling via Buses, with 10 buses leaving every day, carrying 43 people each.
The Chief Minister said that a team of Doctors, Volunteers and Officials will be travelling with yatris to take care of any emergency. He said that an advanced team of officials have been sent to take care of all the amenities before the yatris arrive. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that old people above the age of 75 will also be allowed to have young attendants to travel with them.
The Chief Minister said that the scheme was earlier started by the Delhi Government led by the Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He said that now the state government has replicated this scheme as per which AC Transport (Bus for close destinations and Train for far destinations) adding that AC Accommodation and Food will be provided to the pilgrims during their visit to the pilgrimage. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that through trains the pilgrims will be able to go to Sri Hazur Sahib and Sri Patna Sahib, Varanasi, Mathura, Ajmer Sharif and others.
Similarly, the Chief Minister said that through buses the pilgrims will be able to visit Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib and Sri Damdama Sahib, Sri Vaishno devi, Mata Chintpurni ji, Mata Naina Devi ji, Mata Jwala ji, Salasar Dham, Khatu Shyam ji and others. He said that the Punjab is a secular state where anything except hatred can germinate adding that this is the land of communal harmony, brotherhood, love and peace. Bhagwant Singh Mann also said that in another path breaking initiative, the state government has also launched the door to door delivery of the food to the people.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has given more than 37000 government jobs to the youth completely on the basis of merit. Likewise, he said that investment worth more than Rs 58000 crore has been firmed up in the state adding that it will generate more than 2.98 lakh jobs in private sector. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the jobs are being provided in a transparent manner and that too only on the basis of capability of the youth.
The Chief Minister said that 664 Aam Aadmi Clinics are operational in the state and more than 100 are ready for dedicating to the people. He said that the state government is giving free power to majority of households in Punjab adding that several pro-people decisions have been taken in the interests of the common man whether industrialists, traders, farm labourers or others. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that schools of eminence have been set in the state and business blaster scheme is being successfully implemented across the schools in the state.
The Chief Minister said that good governing experience of the Delhi government is being successfully replicated in the state as it in the interest of the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the motive of this to ensure the well being of the people of the state and not of any specific family. He said that people of Punjab are his family members and every action of his government is to ensure the well being of the state and its people.
The Chief Minister said that the opposition has no issue to raise against the state and they are misleading the people on various issues. He said that the people should not get swayed away with this misleading propaganda and support the state government in its endeavor to carve out Rangla Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that people are supreme in any democratic system and the support of general public is imperative for making the state a frontrunner in country.
Training his guns at his predecessors, the Chief Minister said that these leaders had built huge palaces by amassing whopping wealth by misusing their official positions. He said that the walls of these palatial palaces were high and the gates usually remained closed for the people. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that these leaders remained inaccessible to the people due to which they were ousted by the masses.
Quoting verse ‘Pawan Guru, Paani Pitaah, Mata Dharat Mahat’ from Gurbani, the Chief Minister said that the great Gurus have equated air (pawan) with teacher, water (paani) with father and land (dharat) with mother. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now the time has come when we must imbibe the teachings of Gurbani in our lives for restoring pristine glory of state by resolving to save the environment of the state. He said that the state government will leave no stone unturned for this noble cause.
In his address Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal congratulated the people on the auspicious occasion of the parkash purb of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He said that their government is walking on the footsteps of the great Gurus to serve the people of Delhi and Punjab. Arvind Kejriwal said that the important scheme is today being launched for facilitating the people who can’t travel to holy pilgrimages because of a lack of resources or other.
The Delhi Chief Minister bemoaned that in last 75 years no government had ever started this scheme to facilitate the people. He said that it is a matter of great pride and satisfaction that in Delhi till now more than 80,000 people have taken benefit of this scheme. Arvind Kejriwal said that the money that is being spent on this scheme was earlier spent by the predecessors on their maritime activities.
The Delhi Chief Minister said that Punjab is witnessing a revolution in Health, Education and every other sector. He said that Aam Aadmi Clinics have been opened for free treatment to people, 20,000 schools of the state are undergoing complete transformation and now this Teerth Yatra Scheme has been launched. Arvind Kejriwal said that he is fortunate to be a part of this crusade and launching of this scheme.
The Delhi Chief Minister said that in Delhi 80% pilgrims in the scheme are women and senior citizens. He envisioned that this scheme will also go a long way in facilitating the senior citizens of Punjab to visit the pilgrim sites. Arvind Kejriwal said that every single penny of the state exchequer is being spent on the well being of the common man.
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