Punjab gets its 23rd district

Fulfilling a pre-poll promise of the Congress party, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday declared Malerkotla as the 23rd district of the state on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Amarinder was addressing the people of the state virtually on the occasion of Eid. Having Malerkotla declared as an independent district was a long pending demand of the Muslim community and residents of the town. The town has a predominant Muslim population.

The government had, in 2017, promised to declare Malerkotla a district. Then cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal and Razia Sultana had addressed an Eid function in 2017 in Malerkotla and stated that it would soon be a district.

Earlier, Malerkotla was a part of Sangrur district and residents had to come to Sangrur to get government-related work done.

Amarinder also announced that a medical college, at the cost of Rs 500 crore, named after Sher Mohammad Khan, would be set up in the district.

He also announced that the government would set up a girls college by spending Rs 500 crore. A new bus stand would also be constructed, along with an all woman police station in the district.