Chandigarh to be a medical hub: Badnore

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

Punjab Governor and UT Administrator VP Singh Badnore on Saturday said they were prepared to make the city a medical hub.

Addressing a function on the 74th Independence Day after unfurling the National Flag, Badnore listed the achievements of the Administration in various fields and also gave away commendation certificates to Covid warriors.

We all know that until a vaccine is developed to fight the pandemic, we will have to take care of ourselves and our families. Let us all resolve to fight this together and emerge stronger. —  VP Singh Badnore, UT Administrator

“Today, we are collectively facing the Covid pandemic threat that has created a global health crisis and has had a deep impact on our lives. The war against the virus is going to challenge us more, and we are prepared for it. A lesson is well learnt, and we are all geared up to make Chandigarh a medical hub with exceptional facilities to tackle any such health threat,” he said.

It would be unfair not to mention the hard work and dedication of our true corona warriors who have been at the forefront of fighting this pandemic. Chandigarh and Punjab have shown the way in tackling the virus, he said, adding that the WHO had also recognised the success of the UT Administration, particularly in containing the spread of the infection in Bapu Dham Colony.

On the occasion, a state-level drug de-addiction campaign, “Nasha Mukt Bharat”, focusing on awareness, treatment and rehabilitation, was launched as per the directions of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

He said to provide relief to ex-servicemen who were without pension and were above the age of 65, the financial assistance had been increased from Rs2,500 to Rs5,000 per month and the financial assistance of widows of Subedar Major Rank or of the same rank in the Navy and the Air Force had also been enhanced from Rs500 to Rs1,000 per month.

To reduce the hardships of commissioning mothers and surrogate mothers, maternity leave will be granted to all outsourced/contractual employees of the Administration.

He commended the Mayor, councillors, MC Commissioner and staff members who contributed to the war against Covid by providing essential commodities on the doorstep of residents during the curfew.

Badnore said he was happy to announce that the construction of Government High School in Mani Majra was at an advanced stage and the construction of additional 216 houses for UT police personnel would begin soon. A new mini sports complex in Sector 8 had been completed while another one in Sector 27 was at an advanced stage of completion. The construction of an international-standard shooting range in Sector 25 and infrastructure for billiards and snooker at the Sports Complex, Sector 42, would begin shortly.

The Chandigarh Housing Board had planned to rent out 2,500 vacant small flats in Maloya for migrant labourers and urban poor under the Centre’s recently announced Affordable Rental Housing Complex Scheme.

He said Chandigarh had once again secured the first position in the country in the Performance Grading Index, 2018-19, declared by the MHRD. Teachers had smoothly shifted to online teaching during the pandemic so that the learning of students was not disrupted, he added.

Badnore complimented the police for their excellent work in the fight against Covid.