Union Home Minister Amit Shah on December 22 inaugurated nine projects and laid the foundation stones for three more during an event in the Union Territory.

The programme was held at the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology (CCET) in Sector 26. The projects he inaugurated are valued at an estimated Rs 368 crore. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, also the administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, was among those present at the event.

Shah arrived in Chandigarh from Kurukshetra, where he attended the International Gita Festival. Upon his arrival, he went to Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar’s official residence, where Purohit was also present. Later, Shah and Purohit reached CCET for the event. Addressing a gathering at the CCET, Shah said he used to think of Chandigarh as a complete city set up with modern imagination during his youth.

But, after the Narendra Modi government came to power, a lot of cities are marching ahead. Chandigarh will have to remain in competition, prove itself and do a lot of work to maintain its top position, he said. He said at the programme that many projects related to cleanliness, education, security, residential facilities and higher education have been initiated at a cost of nearly Rs 400 crore.

On the occasion, 744 youngsters were given appointment letters as assistant sub-inspectors and constables. Shah said different challenges, particularly with regard to technology, are before the police. It was stated at the Directors’ General of Police conference earlier that youngsters should be connected with through hackathons.

Prizes were given to those who bagged the first three positions, he said. With this, the country’s youngsters will inspire in using their knowledge in resolving its problems.

The home minister said the Cyber Operation and Security Centre was also inaugurated on Friday. “Heading towards making our nation a ‘Cyber Success Society,’ inaugurated the ‘Center for Cyber Operations and Security (CenCOPS)’ in Chandigarh today,” he said in a post on X.

The other projects inaugurated include the Administrative Block-C (degree wing) at CCET, the Himalaya Hostel in the Punjab Engineering College at Sector 12, a sewage treatment plant at Diggian, augmentation of the existing sewage treatment plant at Raipur Kalan, 192 houses in the Chandigarh Police complex, Dhanas. Shah said in the same post on X, “Additionally, the administrative building and workshop block of the Chandigarh College of Engineering and Technology and 192 residential quarters for Chandigarh Police were also inaugurated. Also unveiled and laid the foundation of many other schemes. Distributed appointment letters among 44 newly selected assistant sub-inspectors and 700 constables.”

Shah laid the foundation stone of an effluent treatment plant at the Government Multi Specialty Hospital at Sector 16, Government High School in Sarangpur and the Government High School in Karsan. Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, while referring to the projects, said, “… it is a historic day for Chandigarh. We had been waiting for the projects to be inaugurated by the Union home minister.”

“Under your guidance and foresight, we are trying to take Chandigarh ahead,” he told Shah. Chandigarh will become one of the cleanest cities in the country soon, Purohit added.

We are also getting full cooperation of the people to make Chandigarh one of the best cities of the country,” the governor said.