Sangrur, 20 July: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday inaugurated eight newly constructed public libraries in Sangrur district, marking a significant step toward improving educational access in rural areas. The libraries, built at a total cost of ₹2.80 crore, were formally dedicated to the public at a village gathering.
Each of the eight libraries—located in Shehna, Dhaula, Talwandi, Majhuke, Kutba, Deewana, Wajidke Kalan, and Thulliwal villages—was constructed at a cost of ₹35 lakh. They are equipped with internet-enabled computers, quality literature, and academic resources to aid students in preparing for competitive examinations.
“These libraries are not just buildings—they’re gateways to knowledge for our children. I believe they will raise the intellectual level of our students and help them realise their dreams,” Mann said in his address.
He described the libraries as centres of academic enrichment, with a collection of world-class books ranging from contemporary literature to curriculum-based texts. “Students from even the remotest villages can now access global knowledge without leaving their hometowns,” the chief minister added.
Mann said the initiative was aimed at cultivating a reading habit among the youth and envisioned the libraries as “harbingers of growth and prosperity” in the state’s villages. He stressed that access to educational infrastructure was essential to Punjab’s progress.
In addition to the library announcement, Mann also highlighted ongoing industrial development, noting that the country’s second-largest Tata Steel plant, after Jamshedpur, was nearing completion in Ludhiana. “Eighty percent of the work is already done. This mega project will open up thousands of job opportunities for Punjab’s youth,” he said.
The event concluded with a call to students and parents to make the most of the libraries and to treat education as a cornerstone for personal and social transformation.
