He asked the students to work hard for becoming a successful person but at the same also motivated them to work for the welfare of the society at large.

Shah, who was on a day-long visit to Chandigarh, on Saturday evening inaugurated the newly constructed building of the government model high school, Mauli Jagran and virtually inaugurated the school buildings of government model high school, Sector 12 and government model high school, Kishangarh.

These buildings will accommodate 5,100 students in total and are equipped with labs, classrooms, playgrounds etc.

Addressing the gathering here, Shah said the NEP-2020 has been drafted very minutely. It focuses on personality development and developing capabilities of students so they excel in their lives, said Shah.

He further said that there was no alternative to hard work for becoming a successful person.

Shah said success comes with hard work and the purpose of one's life should not be confined to one's personal growth but should also include the welfare of the society at large.

Pointing towards the presence of many teachers at the event, Shah said teachers were called a Guru in earlier times and urged them that even now they should play the same role in shaping the children's future, enabling them to become good citizens with broad outlook.

"Knowledge fills our life with fragrance", he told the students, urging them to work hard so that when they grow up they can contribute towards the nation's progress.

He urged the students to hoist the national flag atop their houses between August 13 and 15 as part of the Centre's 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebration.

Hoist the tricolour and post a selfie with it on the central government's website. Borrow mobile phones from your parents, neighbours, but do take selfies, he urged them.

Recalling the sacrifices made by freedom fighters which helped India achieve independence, Shah said that "today it is because of them that we are living in a free country, which is moving ahead on a path of progress where even the world is looking at it with great respect."

Punjab Governor and UT Chandigarh Administrator Banwari Lal Purohit also spoke on the relevance and need of NEP and its crucial role in promoting a national consciousness among the students.

"The focus of the education should be on character building in addition to skill development”, he stressed.

To address the challenges of malnutrition and anaemia in pregnant women, lactating mothers, and new-born and to promote nutrition awareness and good eating habits for sustainable health and wellness, Shah launched the 'Poshak Laddu' scheme and distributed some ladoos to the beneficiaries.

The 'Poshak Laddu' is incorporated by the Chandigarh Administration as an additional component under the supplementary nutrition programme for approximately 9,400 pregnant women and lactating mothers registered across 450 Anganwadi Centres in Chandigarh.

The anganwadi workers will administer the 'Laddu' to the beneficiary themselves to ensure that the Laddu is consumed by the beneficiary herself.

The Union Home Minister also laid down virtually the foundation stone of the Sector 43 multilevel parking that will house more than 1,300 vehicles.

The proposed parking will not only accommodate vehicles of visitors to the District Court Complex but also for surrounding spillover parking.

The vehicles coming to ISBT-43 and the Chandigarh Judicial Academy will also be accommodated in the parking facility.

Shah also flagged-off the electric buses from Punjab Raj Bhavan. The Chandigarh Administration, with this flag off, will be adding 40 more electric buses to its fleet.

On Saturday evening, he also inaugurated the ‘Samavesh’ programme of Chandigarh Police.

Chandigarh Director General of Police Praveer Ranjan said under ‘Samavesh’, the Citizen Services Centre (CSC) situated in many police stations will also be linked with Atal Sahabhagita Kendras of the Chandigarh police.

All the non-crime police services including address verification, passport verification, character verification, tenant/PG verification, etc., will be dealt with in the kendras, according to an official release.

The UT police will form committees involving persons from particular areas, similar to village panchayats, to amicably settle matters in which people do not want police interference. These committees will be formed under the programme called 'Samavesh'.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla also inaugurated the Police Command and Control Centre (PCCC), set up under the Integrated Command and Control Center (ICCC) project of Chandigarh Smart city under smart city mission.