Chandigarh, Dec 19 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Friday, visited his native village, Satauj in Sangrur district, where he interacted with villagers and shared memories associated with the village.

During his visit, while meeting representatives of the panchayat and villagers, the Chief Minister said he has always been proud of his native village.

He said he had not come to deliver a speech, but to share and be part of the joys and sorrows of the people.

Chief Minister Mann said the moments spent in his native village give him immense happiness and that he would always remain indebted to the village for the love and affection showered upon him.

Appealing to all villages to rise above factionalism and focus on development, the Chief Minister said unity brings prosperity and that villages must always maintain communal harmony and brotherhood for progress and growth.

He added that some political leaders create factions in villages for their personal interests, and factionalism ultimately hampers development.

While interacting with the media, the Chief Minister urged parents to actively participate in and attend the Mega Parent-Teacher Meetings (PTMs) being organised on December 20 in all 19,000 government schools across the state.

He said his government was the first to introduce PTMs in government schools and that parents had responded enthusiastically.

He added this initiative would help prepare students to face future challenges.

CM Mann said PTMs also help parents understand their children’s interests and progress through direct interaction with teachers.

The Chief Minister said that to provide quality education to students of government schools, principals and teachers are being given world-class training in countries such as Singapore and Finland.

He added that advanced coaching is also being provided to teachers at IIM Ahmedabad.

Terming changes made by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central government in the MGNREGA scheme as a step to ruin the poor and the states, the Chief Minister said the Centre has shifted 40 per cent of the funding burden onto the states, despite not releasing funds on time.

He said that due to these changes, MGNREGA workers can no longer undertake works such as constructing schools, ‘mandis’ and drains, which is a direct mockery of villages.

He added that by adopting such tactics, the Centre intended to shut down the scheme altogether.

–IANS

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