The 80th Independence Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervour in Amritsar on Saturday. At the district-level function held at Guru Nanak Stadium, Punjab Cabinet Minister for New and Renewable Energy Sources, Industries, Commerce and Investment Promotion, Aman Arora, hoisted the National Flag.An impressive march past was presented under the command of Parade Commander ACP Gagandeep Singh. Contingents at Guru Nanak Stadium. Contingents included of Punjab Police, Punjab Women Police, Punjab Home Guards, NCC cadets, Scouts and Guides, along with band teams of Punjab Police and school students. Students from various schools and colleges also presented an impressive programme depicting patriotism and Punjabi culture.Extending Independence Day greetings to the people of the district, Arora said the country was free today because of the sacrifices made by freedom fighters and martyrs. He said Punjabis took immense pride in having made the greatest sacrifices during the freedom struggle.Highlighting the government’s commitment to the welfare of serving soldiers, families of martyrs and ex-servicemen, Arora said the ex-gratia assistance for the next of kin of martyred soldiers had been increased from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore. Agniveers have also been brought under the financial assistance scheme.He said the government had also made provision for financial assistance of Rs 1 crore to the families of police personnel who sacrifice their lives in the service of the state and the country. The monthly financial assistance for Dharmi Fauji had been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.Arora said freedom fighters were the pride of Punjab. The monthly pension for freedom fighters of the state or their heirs had been increased from Rs 9,400 to Rs 11,000. A provision of one per cent reservation had also been made for the heirs of freedom fighters in direct government recruitment.The foundation stone of a new Government Degree College, to be constructed at a cost of Rs 15 crore, was laid in Ajnala, a border subdivision. Besides, a Government Polytechnic College is being constructed at Mallian village in the Jandiala Guru Assembly constituency at a cost of Rs 15 crore.Arora honoured the families of freedom fighters, Veer Naris and individuals who had excelled in various fields. On the occasion, the District Red Cross Society distributed tricycles, wheelchairs and sewing machines among needy persons.Among those present on the occasion were Ajnala MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Amritsar Central MLA Dr. Ajay Gupta, Amritsar West MLA Jasbir Singh Sandhu, Amritsar East MLA Jeevanjot Kaur, Amritsar South MLA Dr Inderbir Singh Nijjar, Attari MLA Jaswinder Singh Ramdas, District and Sessions Judge Jatinder Kaur, Mayor Jatinder Singh Moti Bhatia, Chairman District Planning Board Gurpratap Singh Sandhu, Deputy Commissioner Dalwinderjit Singh, Commissioner of Police Harmanbir Singh Gill, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Pallavi Mishra, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Urban Development) Rupinderpal Singh, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Rural Development) Surinder Singh, SDM Amritsar-1 Alka Kalia, SDM Amritsar-2 Gurmander Singh, Assistant Commissioner (General) Pragati Sethi.Meanwhile, the BSF did not exchange sweets with Pakistan Rangers on the occasion of India’s Independence Day. The tradition was discontinued following the Pahalgam terror attack on tourists on April 22, 2025.