BADAL directs officers to visit villages to acquaint themselves about problems of rural areas

Patiala, August 4, 2013: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today directed officers of state administration to personally visit the villages for taking stock of problems at the grass root level and thereby finding some viable solution for mitigating the woes of the people, with the active support of Sarpanchs and Panchs.

Addressing a mammoth gathering at the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs here today, the Chief Minister said that rather than confining themselves to their offices, the officers must visit villages and interact with the elected representatives and people to solve the pending problems of the villages. He said that this would not only help in strengthening the democracy at the ground level but would also go a long way in ensuring the comprehensive development of villages. He said that further impetus to growth process in the state could only be given if due care was given towards the development of the villages.

The Chief Minister also directed the officers to give due respect to the newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs in the matters pertaining to the villages. He said that the officer must accord top priority to the Panchayat or Sarpanchs and Panchs if they approach them for any public work. He also said that any complaint regarding the misconduct by the officers with these representatives of people would be dealt strictly. Meanwhile congratulating the newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs, the Chief Minister exhorted them to chalk out a comprehensive ‘four year plan’ to ensure the development of villages in a planned manner.

Expressing concern over the migration of population from villages towards the cities, the Chief Minister said that this was a dangerous trend which needs to be checked timely. He said that the state government was well aware of dire consequences of this tendency due to which they were making all out efforts to discourage it. He said that the first and foremost step to check this inclination was to provide basic civic amenities to the rural areas at par with the urban areas. Likewise he said that Rs 1,700 crore were being spent on upgradation of rural roads network in the state while Rs 1,607 crore would be utilized for providing potable drinking water to the rural areas.     

The Chief Minister further said that in order to tap the hidden potential amongst the bright students of the rural areas, the state government was laying special emphasis on strengthening rural education system. He said that ‘Special Schools’ were being opened in six districts of the state to impart quality education to students securing 80% of more marks at Matric level in the Government schools. Mr. Badal said that these students would be provided free professional education along with boarding and lodging facility to enable them to compete with their convent educated peers.

Likewise the Chief Minister said that under Dr. Hargobind Khurana scholarship scheme Rs 2500 per month would be given to such meritorious students for carrying out study at senior secondary level. He said that in the same manner special thrust was also being laid on providing skill training to the youngsters by setting up a network of skill centres across the state, for enabling them to earn their livelihood. He also said in another path breaking initiative the state government was also opening training centres for agriculture allied activities to equip the youngsters with the knowledge regarding allied operations in farming sector.

The Chief Minister further said that realizing well that Power was the catalyst of growth and development of any state, stupendous efforts have been made by the Punjab government for generating power. He said that with the commissioning of three thermal power plants at Rajpura, Goindwal Sahib and Talwandi Sabo, Punjab would become Power Surplus state in the country shortly.       

Lashing out at the Congress led UPA Government at the centre, the Chief Minister said that these people sitting in Air conditioned offices in national capital were completely insulated from the ground realities affecting the very life of rural population. He said that the statements of the Congress leaders and figures of Planning Commission of India regarding the Poverty Line in India was an indication of sorry state of affairs in the Union government. Moreover it reflected the complete insensitivity of the Congress leaders towards the woes of common man, added Badal.

The Chief Minister further said that owing to the anti-farmer’s stance of the UPA government the hard working and resilient farmer of the state, who played a vanguard role in providing food security to the nation, was reeling under a whopping debt of Rs 30000 crore. He said that the sky rocketing prices of the farm inputs coupled with the non-remunerative MSP had further increased the pangs of the farmers. He further said that to bail out the farmers from such situation the state government has embarked ambitious program of crop diversification but the Union government was not supporting it by denying MSP and support mechanism to alternate crops like Maize and Sugarcane.

The Chief Minister said that on its part the SAD-BJP government had always formulated pro-people policies to ensure the well being of people. He said that the welfare schemes like Atta-Dal, Shagun and pension schemes have helped a lot in improving the condition of the weaker sections of society. Likewise Mr. Badal said that efforts were afoot to provide quality medical, education and other facilities to the people.  

Earlier in his address Rural Development Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra said that as per the directions of Chief Minister, the Panchayat elections across the state were conducted in a free and fair manner. He said that all the newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs should now join hands for developing the villages by rising above all the parochial considerations. Rakhra said that the state government was committed for the overall development of villages and all the villages of the state would be soon connected with the e-panchayats for effective monitoring of developmental works.

Later on talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister reiterated that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was committed for safeguarding the interests of Punjabi farmers in Gujarat. Badal said that while he would himself meet the national BJP President Rajnath Singh over the issue, a delegation of SAD under Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal would take up this matter with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi besides seeking legal opinion to pursue this case in Supreme Court. He said that SAD had always fought for the preserving the interests of Punjabi farmers whether it was in Trai region or in case of imposition of wealth tax on them.

Replying to another query, the Chief Minister categorically said that SAD would register a massive victory on Patiala Lok Sabha seat in the coming General elections. He said that the candidate for this seat would be finalized soon.

Meanwhile a delegation of Kali Mata Temple Committee led by Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra and Dr. Navin Sarowal handed over a cheque of Rs 51 lakh to Badal as contribution towards restoration of Sri Kedarnath Shrine in Uttarakhand. Appreciating the noble gesture, the Chief Minister said that all the Punjabis must contribute fully for helping the flood ravaged hilly state of Uttarkhand in this hour of crisis and grief.

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Surjit Singh Rakhra, Chief parliamentary Secretary Mantar Singh Brar, Harpreet Kaur Mukhmailpur and Varinder Kaur Loomba (both MLAs), Formers Ministers Harmail Singh Tohra and Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur, Former CPS Raj Khurana, Former President SGPC Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, Former MP Amarjeet Kaur, and Chairman District Planning Committee Deepinder Singh Dhillon and Mayor MC Patiala Amrinder Singh Bajaj.