DW BUREAU / PATIALA On the occasion of Punjab Day, Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Language Department Pargat Singh on Monday flagged off a special one month-long awareness campaign to promote mother tongue under 'Punjabi Mah-2021 campaign' at the Bhasha Bhawan here. On this occasion, Pargat Singh also announced that under the leadership of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, the valuable treasure of Punjab Languages Department would be digitized through the latest technologies to ensure its usage for the holistic intellectual development of the Punjabis. Apart from this the language department would be bolstered by filling up the vacant vacancies of District Language Officers, Research Officers and other required staff. Expressing his concern over the slumping interest of Punjabi language among youths, Education, sports and NRIs minister Pargat Singh said that he had examined the details of 1000 candidates of Punjab Civil Service, out of which merely 100 opted for Punjabi subject and only 10 managed to clear it in the examination. Stressing on the need to work together and take initiatives to uplift the Punjabi language, he appealed to Punjabi writers, intellectuals and media to promote rich Punjabi culture, literature, and characteristics of Punjabi language among pupils at school level. Pargat Singh also expressed concern over the internal and external attacks on Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat and said that he hoped that the Punjabis would fight against them industriously. Earlier, welcoming the guests in the event, Krishan Kumar, Secretary, Department of Higher Education and Languages said that the Punjab government has been cautiously working to manage the treasury of the language department and soon fruitful results would be delivered among everyone. Karamjit Kaur, Director, Department of Languages, Punjab thanked the participants and informed them about the activities and performance of the department. On the occasion, Mr. Madan Lal Jalalpur, Ghanaur MLA, Punjabi Sahit Ratan awardee Dr. Ratan Singh Jaggi and Punjab State Social Welfare Board Chairperson Gursharan Kaur Randhawa graced the event as special guests. Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Professor Arvind presided over the event while Jagat Guru Nanak Punjab State Open University. Prof. (Dr.) Karamjeet Singh Vice Chancellor, Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Hans and SSP Harcharan Singh Bhullar were also present. During the function, Pargat Singh also presented 9 awards for the category of best literary book of the year 2017. He launched departmental books including Dr. Prem Prakash Singh's Guru Nanak and Nirgun Dhara, Jagjivan Mohan Walia's Baba Ala Singh, Dr. TR Sharma's Guru Nanak Katha, Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha's Gur Shabad Alankar, Kulwinder Singh's survey book Bahir Jachh among many others. (editor@dailyworld.in)