Ludhiana
( Gurvinder sidhu)
As part of Yudh Nashya Virudh campaign by Punjab government towards holistic rehabilitation, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain on Thursday awarded certificates to 24 youths who successfully completed a skill-development programme in dairy farming and allied activities at the Government Rehabilitation Centre in Jagraon.
The youths, all undergoing de-addiction treatment, received hands-on training organised by the district administration in collaboration with the Dairy Development Department, Health Department, and supported by the Sun Foundation. The programme equipped them with practical skills in modern dairy farming, milk processing, animal husbandry, and entrepreneurship – tools designed to open doors to dignified self-employment.
Addressing the gathering, DC Himanshu Jain underlined that the initiative goes beyond treatment. “Our goal is to ensure that no recovered individual relapses into addiction because of unemployment or lack of purpose. On the directions of the Punjab Government, we are fully committed to providing sustainable livelihood options and a sense of dignity to every recovering person,” he said. He announced that many more vocational training programmes will be rolled out in the coming months to strengthen the rehabilitation ecosystem.
The certificate distribution ceremony was attended by SDM Jagraon Upinderjit Kaur, Civil Surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur, SMO Dr Gurbinder Kaur, Lead District Manager Gurdev Singh Kang, Employment Generation, Skill Development & Training Officer Jeevandeep Singh, Dairy Development Officer Dr Varun Sehgal, and representatives of the Sun Foundation.
Ludhiana, Dec 11
In a major step toward strengthening Punjab’s social development landscape, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain long with Assistant Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Jasdev Singh Sekhon on Thursday launched Punjab NGO Expo 2026 in presence of over 80 prominent Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), various Industry Association, Institutions, clubs from Ludhiana district. The meeting aimed to brief, mobilize, and engage civil society organizations for the upcoming Punjab NGO Expo 2026, a landmark State-level event dedicated to showcasing and empowering the social sector.
The Deputy Commissioner formally announced that the Punjab NGO Expo 2026 will be held on Jan 31 and Feb 1 at PAU Grounds. The Expo is envisioned as a first-of-its-kind platform in Punjab where NGOs, CSR bodies, academic institutions, government departments, and community groups will unite under the theme:
Addressing the gathering, DC appreciated the significant role played by NGOs as grassroots partners in last-mile delivery of welfare services. He noted that NGOs have consistently supported the Administration during humanitarian challenges, health drives, education initiatives, and environmental action.
An executive committee of five-members has been constituted headed by Assistant Commissioner, and DDF Ambar Bandopadhyay, for allocation of stalls in this expo.
Sekhon also urged all Punjab’s NGOs to participate in this event. The Punjab NGO Expo 2026 will be a collective celebration of your impact. It will open new avenues for collaboration, bring visibility to local initiatives, and strengthen the culture of volunteerism and CSR engagement across districts.”
CityNeeds Presents Key Expo Highlights
Officials from CityNeeds presented the structure, objectives, and opportunities offered by the Expo. Key highlights include:
• 60+ NGO Exhibition Stalls for showcasing projects, innovations, and impact
• 10+ Corporate CSR Stalls for partnerships and grant discussions
• 10+ Educational Institution Booths to promote community engagement among youth
• 10+ stall for Govt. Welfare Schemes
• Dedicated Government Pavilion on welfare schemes and public benefits
• Panel Discussions & Knowledge Sessions led by experts and practitioners
• NGO–CSR Networking Meet for collaboration and resource-sharing
• Recognition Awards to honour outstanding social contributions
• Expected footfall of 10,000+ visitors, including philanthropists, donors, CSR heads, industry leaders, students, media, and government officials
These elements position the Expo as Punjab’s largest collaborative platform for social impact.
CityNeeds Calls for Early Registration & Preparation of Impact Stories
Founder, CityNeeds, Maneet Dewan, encouraged NGOs to begin preparing their exhibition content well in advance. He added that this Expo belongs to all of us who are working for Punjab’s better future. NGOs should register early, curate their impact stories, and come forward with confidence to share their work with the world. CityNeeds will provide complete support in registrations, presentations, storytelling, and visibility.”
The Deputy Commissioner assured NGOs that the district administration will extend all required coordination and facilitation to ensure that the Expo becomes a model event for the State.
He noted that this Expo should be seen not merely as an exhibition but as a people-led movement to strengthen Punjab’s civil society ecosystem and create long-lasting partnerships for social change.”
The meeting concluded with an interactive discussion in which NGOs and Industry Associations shared valuable suggestions regarding exhibitions, collaborations, capacity building, and volunteer integration. The participants expressed strong enthusiasm to join the Expo and welcomed the initiative as a significant opportunity to highlight the work being done at the grassroots level.
Registration Now Open
NGOs interested in participating in Punjab NGO Expo 2026 can register at:
https://ngoexpo.cityneeds.info
For queries, organizations may contact the CityNeeds coordination team at 8289066979.
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