Punjab govt waives of market fee on timber

Patiala, Oct 22 (UNI) The Punjab government has decided to waive off the market fee on timber, thereby conceding to the long pending demand of the timber merchants in the state.

Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh made this announcement today while presiding over a state level function organised on the occasion of Vishwakarma Day. He also visited the Lord Vishwakarma Mandir at Lahori Gate here.

Addressing a public gathering on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Punjab was set to become a "modern industrial estate" in the country. A large number of intreprepenurs had already invested in Punjab and many more projects are in the pipeline, he added.

Capt Singh thanked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for sanctioning a hi-tech prestigious educational institution, the Indian Institute of Science for Mohali.

Conceding the demands of the Vishwakarma Mandir Committee put forth by its Secretary Jagjit Singh Saggu, Capt Singh announced a grant of Rs 25 lakh for setting up a Vishwakarma Poly-technique Institute on Sirhind road here. He also directed the Mayor of the Patiala Municipal Corporation Vishnu Sharma to allot a suitable plot on Rajpura road for the construction of Lord Vishwakarma Bhawan and naming the traffic lights crossing near bus stand after Lord Vishwakarma.

Besides he also announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for the sewing school for girls being run by the Vishwakarma Mandir committee and also promised to declare a gazetted holiday on the occasion of birthday of Lord Vishwakarma in future.

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