Shagun Scheme to include backward classes: Sukhbir

With an eye on the votes of the 52 per cent population of backward class communities in the state,Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Sunday.

With an eye on the votes of the 52 per cent population of backward class communities in the state,Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced on Sunday that from April 1 onwards girls of such families would also be entitled to the amount of Rs 15,000 given under the Shagun Scheme to more than 70 lakh scheduled caste families at the time of marriage.

The cash-strapped government will spend a few crores more to extend this scheme to woo this category of voters. Though the Rajput Kashyap community comprising 22 lakh backward class population in Punjab had been demanding this for the past four years,the demand was finally accepted in the election year. Sukhbir made the announcement at a state-level function held here on Sunday to remember martyr Baba Moti Ram Mehra,a follower of Guru Gobind Singh.

Mehra and his family members were brutally killed by Sirhinds in-charge Vajir Khan for serving food to the Gurus mother and sons who were imprisoned in jail. Mehra was remembered for the first time in a state-level function organised last year in Gurdaspur. Sukhbir agreed that they did not recognise this great martyr for years because no one studied history books so seriously.

In 2010,Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had made a few promises at the memorial function,but none of them has been implemented till date and the Kashyap community reminded the deputy CM of them. Sukhbir then announced extension of the Shagun Scheme to the entire backward class population and said: A chapter on Baba Moti Ram Mehra will be included in the history books of Punjab School Education Board from the next session and a memorial would also be built in Sirhind within this year.

Sukhbir also promised to give 10 acres to the Baba Moti Ram Mehra Trust and announced Rs 5 lakh for the school being run by it.

Cabinet Minister Hira Singh Gabria,who was the main organiser of the event,said: The entire backward classes communities (rural and urban) are now with SAD and a majority will vote for us in the elections. Education Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan,too,spoke on the occasion.

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