Chandigarh, September 3: Rajya Sabha member Satnam Singh Sandhu has announced an assistance of ₹50 lakh from his MPLADS fund for the welfare of students of Panjab University and development of priority campus facilities.
Sandhu made the announcement during a meeting with newly elected Panjab University Campus Students Council president Ankit Bidhan, ABVP leader Gaurav Attri, former president Gauravveer Singh Sohal and other youth leaders in Chandigarh.
He said the assistance would be utilised for projects aimed at bringing visible improvements to students’ day-to-day campus life. The university, he said, should identify its most urgent requirements and submit proposals so that eligible works could be undertaken in accordance with MPLADS guidelines.
“The assistance of ₹50 lakh should be used to bring about visible improvement in the daily campus life of the students. The university should identify the most urgent needs of the students and send proposals so that eligible projects can be taken forward under MPLADS,” Sandhu said.
On the occasion, Sandhu felicitated Ankit Bidhan with a Phulkari and congratulated him and his team on their second consecutive victory in the campus elections.
Sandhu said that with the election process now over, the new student council must shift its focus towards student welfare, campus improvement and creating new opportunities for young people.
He said Panjab University was not merely a higher education institution but an important symbol of Punjab’s intellectual consciousness, cultural identity and democratic heritage. The mandate received by the new council, he said, was both a responsibility and a matter of pride.
The meeting also discussed several priorities highlighted by ABVP during the elections. Among these was the possibility of introducing e-rickshaws or e-carts to facilitate safe and convenient transportation for girl students across the sprawling campus.
Sandhu said the significance of an elected mandate would ultimately be judged by whether it translated into solutions to students’ problems, improved facilities and new opportunities.
The participants also discussed organising a large-scale job fair at the university, strengthening the startup ecosystem and establishing a Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence and Deep-Tech.
Sandhu said he would make efforts to coordinate with the relevant ministries and institutions of the Union government to facilitate such initiatives.
He said PU students should not leave the university merely with degrees but should have access to avenues in employment, entrepreneurship, innovation and futuristic technologies.
The meeting also discussed strengthening the university’s Punjabi Department and connecting Punjab’s rich literary and cultural heritage with the younger generation.
Sandhu urged the new council to represent the entire student community irrespective of political affiliation and work towards dialogue, harmony and a constructive atmosphere on the campus.
