Punjab ITI Girls Stitch 10 Lakh Masks For Corona Warriors & Needy

In Punjab, around 46,000 girls from 78 ITIs (Industrial Training Institutes) are pitching in their time and talent in stitching masks from home. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, these girls have taken up the cause of creating four-layered washable masks and have created more than 10 lakh masks till now. As remarked by Anurag Verma, Principal Secretary Technical Education and Industrial Training Punjab, to IndiaToday “stitching has been carried out as Sewa”.

The State Directorate of Technical Education and Industrial Training is at the forefront of arranging the raw material. The raw material for making these masks comes through administration or from the contributions made by ITI staff, residents, NGOs and industrialists alike. To maintain social distancing the students received the raw material at their homes, remarked Charanjit Singh Channi, Technical Education and Industrial Training minister.

Pivotal Role by Teachers and Principal

The teachers and the Principal have played a pivotal role in encouraging the girls.  The latter provided them support through online classes and tutorial videos. As a result of this, many ITI girls from different walks of life took up this generous deed. Daljit Kaur, Additional Director (directorate of technical education and industrial training) told Hindustan Times, “For the first two weeks, over 2,200 ITI girl students stitched 2.23 lakh masks. Thereafter, the department motivated more students to contribute for the cause and deputed nodal officers in every district for better coordination. The preparation of masks by students was monitored regularly”.

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Appreciation for the Efforts

The COVID-19 warriors like people working in district administrations, health care workers, municipal corporation employees, police, Asha and Anganwadi workers received the masks. Likewise, the needy people, migrant labourers, farmers and Panchayats too got their share. The masks were distributed free of cost. This initiative has received accolades nationally. Union Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship recently invited 28 ITI students and principals for a video conference. Out of these 28 ITIs, 6 were from Punjab. Likewise, Punjab CM Captain Amrinder Singh congratulated the ITIs for this noble cause and making 10 lakh masks.

“For the first two weeks, over 2,200 ITI girl students stitched 2.23 lakh masks. Thereafter, the department motivated more students to contribute for the cause and deputed nodal officers in every district for better coordination. The preparation of masks by students was monitored regularly”.

Read Also: Differently-Abled Woman Makes 1000 Masks For Health Workers

Simran Dhawan is an intern with SheThePeople.TV