DW BUREAU / PATIALA Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Wednesday paid his maiden visit to the Punjabi University and announced the implementation of 'Punjab Education Model' across the State besides strengthening the basic infrastructure of the government educational institutions by pulling them out of the financial crisis. Declaring to take over the financial liability of the university to the tune of Rs. 150 crore, the Chief Minister also announced the annual grant of Rs. 240 crore as part of the efforts to bail out the university from the fiscal mess. Addressing the teachers, employees and the students at Guru Tegh Bahadur hall here, the Chief Minister said that the monthly grant in aid to the university has been increased to the level of Rs. 20 crore which earlier stood at Rs. 9.50 crore. Lauding the efforts of the Punjabi University to ensure development of Punjabi language besides quality higher education to students from poor economic background, Channi said that the previous governments especially some Chief Ministers didn't undertake any step to assist the university in tiding over the crisis. "It is for this very reason that the university- a proud flag bearer of Punjabi mother tongue has got entangled in a financial mess of the worst kind", added the Chief Minister. Listing other measures, Channi said that the State Government is undertaking herculean efforts to boost the Punjabi language and it is in keeping with this thinking that Punjabi Language Act has been strictly implemented in the state. He also disclosed that all out efforts are afoot to ensure that the government and private education is within the reach of common man. Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said that a history of sorts has been scripted by the Chief Minister who has brought the two decade old issue to a closure within two months of assuming reins of the state and has acted as the savior of the institution which was established to propagate Punjabi language. On the occasion, the Chief Minister accompanied by the Finance Minister inaugurated the Center for Rural Entrepreneur and Skill Training apart from Center for Restoration of Ecosystem of Punjab. The Chief Minister said that this center speaks volumes about the untiring efforts of the university to explore new avenues in entrepreneurship aimed at generating employment especially in the Malwa region. Vice-Chancellor of the university Dr. Arvind expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister and the Finance Minister for pulling the university out of the crunch situation and assured that things would not come to such a pass again. (editor@dailyworld.in)