Captain Amarinder Singh, CM Punjab would dedicate the Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh museum to public on 23rd March declared Navjot Singh Sidhu, Tourism, Cultural Affairs and Local Government Minister, Punjab.
The minister was inspecting the expansion project of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh museum at village Khatkar Kalan and emphasized that the expansion work be completed within the fixed timeframe and no laxity in this regard would be tolerated.
He further declared that the Punjab Government would observe the martyrdom day of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev and Shaheed Rajguru on 23rd March as the ‘Youth Empowerment Day’. He further elaborated that he would write to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to commemorate the 23rd March as ‘Youth Empowerment Day’ on National scale.
Sidhu added that Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh is a revered National Hero hence the Punjab Government considering him a youth icon, would institute ‘ Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh Award for Youth’.
Distributing the cheque worth Rs. 2 crore, sent by the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh for completing the expansion work of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh museum, the minister instructed the officials present to ensure the completion of all works related to the electrical equipments and the lights by 31st January. Apart from this, the minister also directed the Secretary, Tourism and Cultural Affairs Vikas Pratap to complete light and sound works by the 15th February. Sidhu also announced Rs. 5 lakh for constructing a toilet block for the convenience of tourists near the ancestral house of the martyr at village Khatkar Kalan.
Earlier, the minister also paid homage at the statue of the martyr. He also divulged that he has also sought additional Rs. 8 crore from the Union Government for the beautification of the surroundings of the museum. On the issue of some articles associated with the martyr not returned after being sent for display in an exhibition in New Delhi, Sidhu assured their return after getting the verification done.
The minister further disclosed that in order to make the available the jail diary of Shaheed-E-Azam S. Bhagat Singh free of cost in all the schools of the State, he is in touch with Abhay Singh Sandhu the nephew of the martyr. For this purpose, the minister revealed that he would give Rs. 25 lakh from his department.
