Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday announced a guarantee to make Punjabi University free from whooping debt so as to regain its pristine glory as a seat of higher learning in northern India.

While presiding over the valedictory function of the three-day Punjabi cinema, television, and theatre mega show at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hall, the CM said paucity of funds will not be a problem for those pursuing higher education as world-class education is the top priority of the state government.

Soliciting wholehearted support and cooperation from youth to make Punjab a vibrant state (rangla Punjab), Mann said vendetta has no place in our government and nobody would be subjected to harassment on this count.

The CM said all the pending issues of teachers would be resolved to their satisfaction soon and none would be forced to resort to pressure tactics like protesting against the government atop water tanks.

He said school and college teachers would now onwards exclusively concentrate on teaching work as their primary duty on Delhi pattern and they would not be assigned any other task except teaching.

Showing concern over youth’s exodus abroad, Mann said youth would be given enormous opportunities to exhibit their unbounded capacities and capabilities in the state. The unfathomed energy and talent of our youth would be optimally tapped so that they could become ideal citizens of society.

The CM said that he has seen several ebbs and tides while participating in the youth festivals of Punjabi University as a college student. Mann urged the parents not to thrust their aspirations upon their wards rather they should identify their aptitude and potential so as to encourage them to excel in their life.

Speaking on the occasion, the education minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said the Punjab government would provide 100 per cent assistance for the promotion of education and sports.

He emphasised the need for empowerment of youth in a positive way so as to elicit their unbounded support by aptly channelizing their energy to make Punjab a front-runner state. Hayer said Punjabi University belongs to all Punjabis settled across the globe and it would exist for the times to come.