Cheema inaugurates craft fair in Patiala

Patiala: Punjab's finance, planning and taxation minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Saturday inaugurated the Punjab Women's Empowerment Craft Fair at the heritage site of Sheesh Mahal in Patiala.The event is scheduled to run until March 2.Cheema said previous govts neglected Punjab's rich heritage, culture and village-level entrepreneurship, adding that the Aam Aadmi Party govt increased the budget for such fairs from Rs 5 crore to Rs 70 crore. Such fairs are a meaningful step towards making Punjab vibrant in the true sense, he added.The fair aims to provide a platform for rural women's self-help groups and artisans from across the country, and to introduce the culture of various states of India to the people of Patiala and surrounding areas.The minister said the Punjab Women's Empowerment Fair was an important initiative to provide a strong govt-level marketing platform for village-level women's self-help groups and women entrepreneurs."These groups produced high-quality, organic and traditional products but faced challenges due to limited marketing opportunities. Punjab State Rural Livelihood Mission, under the department of rural development and panchayats, in collaboration with the department of industries and commerce, organised such fairs to address this gap," said Cheema.During the event, the minister also inaugurated an exhibition organised by the archives department at Sheesh Mahal, featuring manuscripts of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Khalsa Darbar, letters written by Maharaja Duleep Singh, and the 1858 Gazette of Punjab, displayed after nearly 20 years.An exhibition of traditional items created by students under the Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Career Hub of Punjabi University, and an exhibition by the Punjab Digital Library depicting the history of the Sikh Empire from 1710 to 1849 were also inaugurated. Cheema urged the public to take full advantage of these exhibitions.Speaking to the media, Cheema said the Mann govt was determined to eliminate issues such as drug abuse, corruption and gangster culture, and to set an example of good governance through initiatives such as Aam Aadmi Clinics, the Chief Minister's Health Scheme, Schools of Eminence, the war against drugs and merit-based employment.In response to a question, the minister said the govt was committed to renovating and reopening closed heritage buildings.MSID:: 128648357 413 |