In line with spirit, Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy and ideals, the Punjab Khadi and Village Industries Board (PKVIB) would honour the doctors who are at forefront of the corona war, on the occasion of his 151st birth anniversary.
Disclosing this, Chairperson PKVIB Smt. Mamta Dutta said that doctors have led this battle from front by taking enormous risk to their own lives adding that doctors especially who work for charitable hospitals which are not financially supported by either government budgets or big corporate houses would also be honoured.
Smt. Mamta Dutta, in the presence of Sh. Anil Mehta, Senior Vice-Chairman and Sh. Harinder Singh Lakhmirwala, Vice-Chairman offered ‘pushpanjli’ to Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation on his 151st Birth anniversary at Board’s Head office at Sector 17, Chandigarh. Four members of the Board were also present besides employees and pensioners of the Board on this occasion.
At the outset, Chairperson acknowledged the leadership and guidance of Hon’ble Chief Minister, Pb. And Sh. Sunder Sham Arora, Hon’ble Industries & Commerce Minister, Pb. She also appreciated continued support of Sh. Alok Shekhar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Industries & Commerce, Pb. And Sh. Sibin C., IAS, Director, Department of Industries & Commerce, Pb.
She also said that it was decided to contribute 1500 BIS certified and ISI marked FFP-2 (N95) masks specially for the doctors in three charitable hospitals in the State that are Christian Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana, Sri Guru Harkrishan Sahib Multi Super Specialty Hospital, Sohana, SAS Nagar popularly known as ‘Sohana Hospital’ and Dalmia Charitable Trust, Amritsar.
The Board also chose to source the masks from a small MSME manufacturer M/s. Paayas Incorporation, Ludhiana who were the first unit in North India to develop and manufacture BIS certified masks which shows the enormous entrepreneurship of our Punjabi entrepreneurs. The Board also appreciates the efforts of Punjab entrepreneurs who developed PPE coveralls & N95 masks. Now, the certified masks manufacturers in the State are 16 and PPE (body coverall) manufacturers are 141 and they went from 0 (at the start of lockdown i.e. 24.03.2020) to 141 as on date.
In keeping with the spirit of Gandhi’s philosophy and the spirit of charity, the employees and pensioners of the Board contributed their one day salary and pension respectively for the purpose. All present, promised and rededicated themselves to upholding the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi and to serve the cause of employment generation in the State.
Smt. Dutta apprised that Punjab Khadi and Village Industries Board has a long illustrated history in rural employment generation. At the height of its performance the Board was adjudged as the best performing board in the country in the year 2007. It is the original agency wholly dedicated to employment generation. Thus, the Board has as its objective ‘Ghar-Ghar Rozgar’ the dream scheme of Captain Amarinder Singh, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Punjab.
The Board implements the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Program (PMEGP) of the Government of India in conjunction with Khadi Commission and District Industries Centers. In the current year, it is proposed to finance 592 units with a target of 4736 no. of persons involving total of Rs.17.75 crores of subsidy and will distribute loans to the tune of Rs.80.00 crores through Nationalized banks.
The Corona pandemic has taken a heavy toll on existing employment opportunities as well as proposed employment prospectus on account of global economic recession. Qualified people are out of employment and in this scenario the importance of PMEGP and self employment projects has become all the more important. There are qualified and experienced persons, out of jobs and have a better chance of setting up successful self employment ventures and to whom banks would also happy to sanction loans.
