CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister  Parkash Singh Badal Tuesday paid homage to Shaheed Udham Singh on his 68th   Death Anniversary during a  State level function held here at the Grain Market.

Addressing a massive gathering on this occasion after paying the floral tributes to this great martyr of the country, Badal said that the history of Indian freedom movement was replete with saga of numerous sacrifices made by the Punjabis from time immemorial during India's freedom struggle but it was a matter of great regret that Punjab had never given its due recognition by the Center Government.

He said that it would be the act of great satisfaction and honour for all of us if this day had been celebrated at National level. Shaheed Udham Singh was one of the great patriots of India, with a burning desire to see his motherland free from the rule of British colonialism and imperialism, said  Badal.

The Punjab Government in its endeavor towards rural as well as urban rejuvenation was fully committed to provide basic amenities and improved quality of life for a common man in the state, added the Chief Minister. Badal further  informed that for the Rural Electrification Plan (REP), the key factor for the over-all development of the rural area the state government had prepared a blue print requiring a sum of Rs. 9534 crore during 11th Five Year Plan, 2007-12.

Referring to the concrete steps taken to provide quality education to the intelligent children of poor families by his government  Badal said that he had been succeeded to motivate the Bhartis, the Gujarat Ambujas, the Oswals, the MGF, the DLF , the Unitech, the Ranbaxy, the Trident, the Hero Honda, the Apollo, the Fortis, the   Steel strips and the Nahar Groups, all the leading business houses in the country  to pitch in with huge investments in the education segment in Punjab, to set up 100 Adarsh Schools in various parts of the state.

To provide better health facilities in the state all the district Hospitals would be linked with PGI and three State Medical Colleges at Amritsar, Faridkot and Patiala for Teli-Medicine facility during the current financial year, he added. He said that his Government was fully committed to implement all the promises made in its election manifesto.

Speaking on the occasion  Bikram Singh Majithia, Information & Public Relations, Water Supply & Sanitation Minister, Punjab pointed out that in the calendar issued by the Union Government on the occasion of 150th Anniversary of 'Gadar of 1857- The First Struggle of India's Freedom' the name of Shaheed Udham Singh along with many more Punjabi Martyrs were missing and on raising his objection the Union Minister, Arjun Singh had agreed to revise the calendar.

On this occasion the Chief Minister honoured the relatives of Shaheed Udham Singh besides, Ved Mohinder Singh Badrukha, DSP Roop Singh Maour and SDO (PSEB) T.S. Bansal for their outstanding services.