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Bikram Singh Majithia Born on 1st march 1975 into the family of Sardar Satyajit Singh Majithia & Sukhmanjas Kaur, Bikram Singh Majithia is Minister for Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management, Information & Public Relations and Non Conventional Energy in Government of Punjab. He is brother of Harsimrat Kaur Badal, wife of Sukhbir Singh Badal (deputy Chief Minister).

He is a leader of Shiromani Akali Dal, country’s oldest regional party and prior to that had served as President of Youth Akali Dal. Twice elected as a Member of Legislative Assembly from Majitha Constituency in Amritsar district of Punjab in 2007 and 2012, Bikram Singh Majithia comes with a rich legacy as he belongs to the famous Majithia family, known not only for its valor but synonymous with humanism, moral values and for raising issues of the community. Even today whenever there is talk of Majitha, people don’t forget to talk about the Majithia Sardars and Generals who lived for lofty ideals.

He has been implicated in a internationl drug smuggling case and is currently being investigated by Enforcement Directorate.

Early life

A product of the prestigious St. Stephens College, New Delhi where he studied for his Graduation Degree, Bikram Singh Majithia went to DAV public School, Patiala and Bal Bharti School, Delhi for his secondary and higher education. In November 2009, he got married to Ganieve Grewal , grand-daughter of Ranjit Singh Grewal and they have two sons. He has an elder brother-Gurmehar Singh and an elder sister, Harsimrat Kaur Badal ( Food Processing Minister, Government of India).

Political forays

Bikram Singh Majithia has the unique record of being the youngest ever minister in Punjab. He was a prominent figure in the Shiromani Akali Dal campaign for the 2007 and 2012 Assembly elections. While in 2007, the party fought a formidable Congress Government, in 2012 Shiromani Akali Dal set a sort of records by returning to power consecutively for the second term. He had come into active politics at a very young age and became a Legislator and the Cabinet Minister in Punjab. He became the president of Youth Akali Dal in 2011. He kept up the same pace and followed the impeccable politics that has come to him as a legacy from his forefathers and became a conscience keeper for Majithia family. He won from Majithia Assembly Constituency by a margin of 23000 votes in year 2007. With this, he changed the fortunes of Majitha area and it goes to his credit that he worked very hard and came up to the expectations of the people. The result was that he again won in Assembly elections in 2012 and that too by increasing the lead to 47581 votes to carve out a distinct niche for himself.

Development of Majitha

The good work done by Bikram Singh Majithia has been recognised and appreciated by none other than but by the Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab and President of Shiromani Akali Dal, Sukhbir Singh Badal. The buzz word in Majitha is comparison between the development brought out by Majithia during eight years and the work done in this constituency during the past 60 years. He is called the harbinger of development.

The growth story

The growth story of all the 155 villages falling under Majithia Assembly constituency is the story of an inclusive growth. As many as 50 new roads have been laid, 100 drinking water tanks have been provided in the villages, 30 bridges have been constructed over the drains and canals, Four new power stations have been setup and Five new mandis opened. In addition two new Adarsh schools have been opened and two new bus stands setup. The three new RO plants, One new Khalsa college, 19 new Airtel schools, 16400 toilets provided in as many houses and 20 existing roads totalling 110 kms have been repaired. Sardar Majithia has also made provision of ‘dharamshalas’ in villages, ‘pukka’ streets, new pathways to 658 deras, 155 new gyms for youth and also made sure that schemes like ‘shagun scheme’,’ pension scheme’, subsidized ‘atta dal’ scheme, park for children to play and construction of religious places. He has also been giving monthly assistance to rural poor from his own pocket. These are broad indicators of the work done by Bikram Singh Majithia.

Solar state dream

It was a dream for Bikram Singh Majithia to make Punjab a solar state, to turn farmers into entrepreneurs and to generate clean and green energy in the state. The first success came when Punjab’s Energy Development Agency was chosen along with Ministry of New and Renewable Energy to install renewable energy systems at President’s Estate at New Delhi in the aftermath of successful commissioning of solar photovoltaic rooftop power plant at Parliament House Annexe. More recognition followed. Punjab was awarded as one of the best performing states by Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Government of India for capacity addition of Renewable Energy. The PEDA was adjudged as one of the best performing state nodal agencies in Energy conservation programme during years 2012 and 2013 by Union Ministry of Power. It was this buoyant moment when Majithia catapulted Punjab’s dream of a solar state into a reality. He gave PEDA a target of 1,250 MW of solar power in next three years. And now Punjab is in sniffing distance from this dream.

Majithia became a votary of solar power generation when he found that every unit of thermal energy used emits 825 grams of carbon dioxide. One needs to plant 40 trees to neutralise the effect of every tonne of carbon dioxide emitted by coal, diesel or even natural gas. In comparison solar energy emits zero carbon dioxide. The solar energy can make farmers entrepreneurs as they can sell surplus power generated by them to Punjab State Power Corporation and supplement their incomes to shed their poverty tag.

Secular views

It’s an inborn trait in Bikram Singh Majithia, to treat people from all religions, all caste and creed at equal footing. As a true Sikh, he has been contributing 10 percent (Dasaundh) of his income for good causes. He has often donated funds for construction of Temples, Gurdwaras, Churches, Mosques and other religious places from his own resources. This is the aspect of his personality which no other leader can match.

References

1. Punjab’s dream of a solar state: 200 MW by March 2015 by Charanjit Ahuja,The Financial Express 12th Feb, 2015

2. "The Big Fat Punjabi Wedding". by Neha Walia The Tribune 26 November 2009.

3. Punjab to generate 4,200 MW solar power by 2022: Bikram Singh Majithia HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times 5th May, 2015.

4. Provide easy credit for solar power projects: Bikram Singh Majithia Hindustan Times 24th June, 2015 5. Punjab 2007 Results Punjab Assembly Elections 2007.

6. Youth Akali Dal Website

7. Results Punjab State Assembly Elections 2012

8. "Government of Punjab"

• Indian politicians