To raise awareness among the Punjabi youth on the state’s heritage, history and culture, Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu intends to introduce a compulsory subject on culture in schools and colleges.
Besides, he also proposes to give a big push to tourism in the state by developing tourist circuits, tapping the potential for religious tourism and improving infrastructure.
The Amritsar (East) MLA also plans to develop a film city and drama schools to promote the Punjabi film industry.
“I want the young Punjabi generation to be connected with our heritage, glorious history and culture as they appear to be moving away from our rich past, culture and folk,” the cricketer-turned-politician, who holds the portfolios of Local Government and Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Archives and Museums in the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in the state, told.
The youth should be aware of Sarbans Dani Guru Gobind Singh, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Master Tara Singh, martyr Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai. They should know who was Madan Lal Dhingra and what was the Kuka movement about. “They should be aware of our culture and folk,” Sidhu said while pointing out that the youth should be prevented from “going astray”.
“I want a compulsory subject on history and culture to be introduced in the schools and colleges of the state,” he said, adding that the proposal was “at an embryonic stage”.
Sidhu said the suggestion in this regard came from noted poet and writer Surjit Patar. When contacted, Patar said, “Culture and education should be brought closer to enrich our youth with our art, heritage and music.”
Sidhu, a former BJP MP who joined the Congress ahead of the recently-held Punjab Assembly polls, said he would discuss the matter with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and state Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary.
The minister has called a meeting of artistes, historians and other experts in Chandigarh on Sunday. He has invited Patar, famous Punjabi singer Gurdas Maan and singer Pammi Bai among others to seek their suggestions.
Sidhu said he had also invited Punjabi actor and Aam Aadmi Party’s state convener Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi to the meeting to seek his inputs.
Sidhu said he had proposed to tap the immense tourism potential of the state.
“I will propose to develop tourism circuits for the five Takhts. Three of them (Akal Takht, Keshgarh Sahib and Damdama Sahib) are in the state and the other two are Patna Sahib in Patna and Hazoor Sahib in Maharashtra. I want all the Takhts to be connected with flights. I also want to connect Amritsar with Vaishno Devi in Jammu.
“A huge number of people come to Amritsar to pay obeisance at the Golden Temple. We also have Jallianwala Bagh, Durgiana Temple and the retreat ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border. The facilities should be better and there should be more budget hotels,” the minister said while pointing out that poor infrastructure had become a stumbling block in unlocking the tourism potential of Punjab.
“Amritsar alone has the potential for the state’s economy to stage a turnaround,” noted Sidhu.
He also stressed upon increasing the number of international flights from the Amritsar and Mohali airports, which would provide a fillip to tourism in the state.
Sidhu said he had plans to develop the sub-mountainous (Kandi) area as a tourist attraction. “We can develop the Kandi area as a tourist destination. We can develop tourist spots, golf courses and invite the hotel industry there,” he added.
“A film city, which can give a push to the Punjabi film industry, can come up in the Kandi area. Drama schools can also be opened there,” said the minister.
