Rs8 billion allocated for welfare of Religious Minorities in Punjab: Ramesh Singh Arora
By Our Correpondent
LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs, Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, has reaffirmed Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision of ensuring the inclusion, dignity, and equal rights of religious minorities across the province.
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He emphasized that the official celebration of events such as Easter, Holi, Diwali, Baisakhi, and the birth anniversary of Baba Guru Nanak Ji over the past year reflects a minority-friendly Punjab that embraces religious harmony and cultural diversity.
The Minister expressed these views while addressing a grant distribution ceremony held at the DC Office Nankana Sahib, where cheques were distributed among 550 minority families belonging to the Christian, Sikh, and Hindu communities. The distribution details are as follows: Sikh community: 415 families, Christian community: 80 families and
Hindu community: 39 families. The financial assistance was provided in connection with the celebrations of Easter, Baisakhi, and Holi.
Minister Arora announced that Rs. 8 billion has been allocated by the Punjab government for the welfare of religious minorities:
Rs. 4 billion for the restoration and development of places of worship and related projects while Rs. 3.5 billion rupees fixed under the Minority Card Program.
He further shared the good news that the individual grant amount has been increased from Rs. 50,000 to Rs. 75,000 per family, enhancing the scope of financial relief provided to minority communities.
The minister stated that throughout the year, 22,800 minority families across Punjab will receive grants under this initiative. He highlighted that eliminating the sense of neglect among minorities is a core government priority.
In a major step toward empowerment, 15 students from minority backgrounds (both boys and girls) have been enrolled in CSS preparatory academies, with all expenses covered by the Department of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs.
Furthermore, the government is actively working on renovation of churches, gurdwaras, and other religious institutions.
Minister Arora urged recipients to deposit their cheques by June 30 to ensure timely encashment.
Addressing local concerns, he said that the long-pending issue of the Christian cemetery’s expansion in Nankana Sahib is being resolved on a priority basis. He also noted that development work is ongoing in various churches and gurdwaras within the district.
The event was attended by Assistant Commissioner Nankana Sahib, Sardar Surjeet Singh, and a large number of representatives from different religious communities, making it a symbol of interfaith unity and cooperation.
