Chandigarh, April 14: Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while paying tributes to Dr. B.R Ambedkar  on his 130th birth anniversary today, through a Video Conference, inaugurated two hostels namely Swami Vivekananda and Ahilyabai built at a cost of Rs 17.19 crore in the premises of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Rai, Sonipat.

The Chief Minister while addressing a webinar after the inauguration ceremony from Chandigarh said that Dr. B.R Ambedkar was a great son of Mother India and on the occasion of his 130th birth anniversary, it was a privilege for the Chief Minister to inaugurate these two hostels, one for girls and one for boys in the premises of the National Law University.

On this occasion, Mr Manohar Lal also released a detailed booklet of the University. Education Minister, Sh. Kanwal Pal also attended through video conference.

The Chief Minister further said that coincidentally today country is also celebrating Mesha Sankranti and ongoing auspicious Navratri festival alongwith the 130th Birth Anniversary of great intellectual and Father of Indian Constitution, Dr. B.R Ambedkar.

“By inaugurating these hostels in the premises of the University named after Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Haryana has paid tribute to him in the most befitting manner. I hope that the students who pass out from this institution should imbibe the values and teaching of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and further contribute in envisioning the dream and path shown him,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

Paying homage to the architect of the Indian Constitution, Sh. Manohar Lal said that Dr. B.R Ambedkar gave us such a constitution which has taught us the priceless concept of Unity in Diversity.

"Babasaheb gifted us such a political system in which everyone be it poor or rich, women or men businessmen or labourers, everyone has got equal rights without any discrimination.  While drafting the Constitution of India, Dr. B.R Ambedkar  envisioned a prosperous and a strong India where everyone is treated equally and is given equal rights and justice" asserted Chief Minister.

While adding that Dr. B.R Ambedkar was a highly learned person he was inclined towards education since his young age. Even in those times he had stocked his personal library with more than 50,000 books shared Sh. Manohar Lal.

The Chief Minister said that Dr. B.R Ambedkar spent his life for the upliftment of the poor and unprivileged. He said that when Dr. B.R Ambedkar was appointed as the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of Constituent Assembly, he prioritized to ensure that gap between the different classes of the society was completely eradicated so as to uphold the integrity and unity of the country.

Sh. Manohar Lal said that since last six years the State Government’s strategy for implementation is guided by principles of Antyodaya – of serving and uplifting the last person first. While, following the same path, an ambitious Parivar Pehchan Patra (PPP) scheme has been launched that aims to identify the poorest one lakh families in the State so as to ensure economic upliftment of one lakh families.

“Every needy person has the first right on the government and with this mantra ‘Mukhyamantri Antyodaya Parivar Utthan Yojana’ has been launched that will be an umbrella mission encompassing all schemes of Government to identify the scheme or set of schemes to supplement the upliftment of these one lakh families” said the Chief Minister.

The Chief Minister said that while ensuring the welfare of every unprivileged family residing in the state, several schemes have been run by the State Government. He shared that recently the annual income slab of BPL families would be increased from Rs 1.20 lakh to Rs 1.80 lakh per annum.  Besides this, several scholarship schemes are being run for children belonging to poor families. He said that under the “Mukhyamantri Vivah Shagun Yojana”, Government is providing financial help to the daughters of the State.

While calling upon the people of the State, the Chief Minister said that on this day everyone should take a pledge to eradicate social evils like untouchability, casteism, and inequality from society.

“Though we have different political ideologies, but it is our Constitution which has kept us united. It is unfortunate that today thoughts of untouchability are prevailing in society but we should vow to eradicate this social evil and move forward by imbibing the spirit of Antyodaya,” said Sh. Manohar Lal.

Showing concern over the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Chief Minister, on this occasion, also prayed to goddess Durga to overcome this global COVID-19 Pandemic

On this occasion, Chief Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Sh. D. S. Dhesi, Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Sh. Anand Mohan Sharan, Additional Principal Secretary to Chief Minister and Director General, Information, Public Relations and Languages Department, Dr. Amit Agrawal were present. MLA, Sh. Mohan Lal Badoli, MLA Sh. Ramesh Kaushik, Vice Chancellor, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Law University, Rai, Sonipat, Dr. Viney Kapoor Mehra and Chairman, Haryana State Higher Education Council, Prof. B. K.  Kuthiala also attended the webinar from Sonipat.