Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought the cooperation and support of the Punjabi Diaspora to transform the state's economy.
Addressing the two-day Pravasi Punjabi Sammellan at the Viraasat-e-Khalsa auditorium, the Chief Minister said Punjabis irrespective of caste, colour, creed and their geographical location have proved their mettle in every aspect of life.
Badal said though (Deputy Chief Minister)Sukhbir had already deliberated upon his vision to put Punjab in the high growth trajectory in details during his presentation here, he missed to mention that all this had been feasible due to congenial atmosphere of communal harmony, peace and amity prevailing in the state.
The CM said though in terms of development Punjab was compared with several progressive states like Gujarat, Kerala, and Maharashtra, the fact is that these states had never undergone the agony of turmoil and economic backwardness due to the partition and decade-long militancy.
Badal congratulated Non-Resident Punjabis for reposing unflinching trust in the ethos of democracy, besides cementing the bonds of brotherhood, peace and mutual tolerance. "This unique phenomenon of peaceful atmosphere led Punjab to hasten the process of overall growth and development," he said.
Striking an emotional chord, Badal urged the delegates to contribute enormously in the promotion of education and health care, besides strengthening economic and social ties that were "all the more important for our future generations".
He appealed to the NRIs to prevail upon their progeny to frequently visit Punjab and to keep them abreast with our rich cultural and ethnic legacy. Badal said his government had built several memorials like Virasat-e-Khalsa, Small and Big Holocaust and Baba Banda Singh War Memorial to perpetuate the glorious cultural heritage of the state.
Badal said this "sammellan" should not be construed as a "formal get together", rather it should be utilised as a platform for deliberations to translate ideas or proposals into actions and to envisage the cooperation of experts in the field of education and health care to crystallize schemes and projects in these core sectors.
