Muktsar: In a bid to impart quality education, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday launched a project of Rs.70 crore for setting up of 21 model schools in the rural areas.

The project was launched after Badal laid the foundation stone of a model school worth Rs.32 lakh in Bhagsar village here in this district.

"Poor rural youth are generally deprived of quality education at par with the students in convent and public schools in the urban areas. Therefore, the rural students could not compete with the urban ones in getting lucrative jobs," Badal said.

"It is the endeavour of our government to provide best education opportunities to students in the rural areas. This project is also the part of the same endeavour. Besides this, we will also upgrade the infrastructure of all existing schools in the state." IANS