The Minister also announced a grant of Rs 5 lakh for Guru Tegh Bahadur Bhawan at PU campus.

Around 500 delegates from different parts of the country and abroad are participating in the conference. The minister called for strong efforts to preserve the unique cultural identity of Punjabis in the face of growing globalisation and westernisation.

Stressing on the symbiotic relationship between language and culture, she said that Punjabi must get its due place in Punjab as the language of administration, culture, economic and political communication.

Former pro vice-chancellor of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Prof Satinder Singh, stressed on the need for development of scientific and technological materials in Punjabi.

Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Prof S S Gill, held that Punjabi culture was one of the richest cultures in the world and its highlight, the language, should be given an impetus so that future generations are able to identify with their roots.

Former Member of Parliament, H S Hanspal, said the governments should make serious efforts to promote and develop the language.