At CCF Event, UT Administrator Calls for Inclusive Development

Calling for inclusive development of the city, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria on Saturday emphasised that the benefits of initiatives must reach the last person.

At the first anniversary celebration of the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, CCF, in Sector 17, Kataria asked its 12 specified groups working in tourism, health, sports and other fields to give suggestions for the betterment of the city.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to former Chief of Army Staff General V P Malik, president of the Chandigarh Citizens Foundation, the office bearers, members, volunteers and collaborating institutions of the organisation on this occasion. Within just one year, you have successfully developed this organisation into a strong public platform that connects various sections of society,” he said.

Citizen Participation and Social Initiatives

According to the foundation, in one year it has advanced citizen participation through mental health under Project SAATHI for students, elderly care under Project SEWA, emergency response training with PGIMER, mentorship programmes and local talent promotion.

These initiatives are managed through 12 focus groups covering health, security, arts, science, education, women empowerment and other areas, supported by more than 200 volunteers.

Inclusive Development for Chandigarh

The Governor highlighted Chandigarh’s unique planned design by Le Corbusier, its green spaces, educational institutions and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s description of it as an ideal model of development for India.

Real development, he stressed, must be inclusive and reach the last person through opportunities, dignity, safety and empowerment for all sections of society.

Kataria emphasised the need to make Chandigarh the country’s number one city and appreciated the dedicated efforts made by all stakeholders.

Highlighting educational achievements, he said Chandigarh has emerged as a leader in school education and that government schools have recorded outstanding results at the Class 12 level.

Chandigarh as a Regional Medical Hub

Referring to the health sector, the Governor reiterated his vision of developing Chandigarh as a regional medical hub. He said patients from across the country and abroad visit the city for quality treatment.

He also highlighted the introduction of evening OPD services and said all 48 dispensaries in the city would be adequately equipped to provide better healthcare facilities.

Sports and Cultural Development

Stressing the importance of sports, Kataria announced that another marathon and several other sporting events would be organised in November. He added that Chandigarh possesses immense potential to excel in sports.

Speaking on the occasion, General V P Malik, retired, said, “Our first year has been about establishing credibility. The years ahead have to be about lasting impact.”

“We intend to expand both SAATHI and SEWA further while launching new initiatives, including basic life support and first aid training for ordinary citizens across the Tricity, so that families and communities are better equipped to handle medical emergencies,” he added.

CCF Mentorship Programme

General Malik said the foundation would soon launch the CCF Mentorship Programme, under which experienced professionals would provide free practical mentorship and guidance to young people.

Looking ahead to Chandigarh’s 75th year, he said CCF also aims to create platforms for the city’s young musicians, poets, writers, actors and dancers while reconnecting generations of Chandigarh residents through meaningful civic and cultural engagement.

“My expectation is that CCF should be remembered not for the events it organised, but for the culture of responsible citizenship it helped build, a Chandigarh known not only as the City Beautiful, but also as the city of responsible citizens,” General Malik added.

CCF’s Contribution During Its First Year

Reflecting on its journey since its inception, CCF highlighted how it has evolved into a vibrant platform promoting meaningful public dialogue, collaboration and citizen participation for the sustainable development of the Chandigarh region while contributing to nation building.

During its inaugural year, CCF organised 49 programmes through its 12 focus groups. These programmes covered diverse areas, including education, healthcare, science, public policy, environment, culture, heritage, leadership, youth development, sports, national security and social welfare.

CCF Scroll of Honour Presented

A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of the CCF Scroll of Honour to 28 distinguished individuals whose voluntary contributions played a pivotal role in shaping the foundation during its formative year.

The foundation also felicitated Amrit Sagar Mittal, Vice Chairman of Sonalika Tractors and its first founding corporate member, in recognition of the role played by responsible corporate partnerships in strengthening citizen led social initiatives.

Prominent personalities present at the event included former Panjab University Vice Chancellor Arun Kumar Grover, Justice Hemant Gupta, former PGIMER Director Dr K K Talwar, former member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom Diljit Rana, former bureaucrat R I Singh, MP Rajinder Gupta, Lt Gen Pushpendra Singh and former MP Satya Pal Jain, among others.

Need a System to Verify Tender Estimates

Speaking candidly, the Governor said that over the years, he had not been able to do anything about the engineering department.

Kataria said there was no monitoring system to check the estimated cost of a tender and determine whether it was genuine or overstated.

“When the estimated cost is inflated, bidding automatically goes 40 per cent below the price. Quality gets compromised in this way. There should be a monitoring system to check the estimated cost,” he said.

Drug Addiction Figures Concerning

Mentioning recent figures on the drug menace presented to Parliament by a committee, Kataria said 66 lakh people out of three crore were affected by drug addiction.

He said at least 21 lakh people in Punjab were affected by opium and seven lakh of them were children.

He described the figures as an awakening and said the issue needed to be addressed. He called for a drug free society, sustainable living and active citizen participation beyond government efforts.