Punjab to spend Rs.10,000 Cr in rural areas

Guru Ki Dhab (Jaitu), September 18, 2012: The SAD-BJP government has chalked out an ambitious programme of more than Rs.10,000 crore to upgrade the basic infrastructure to provide quality civic amenities in rural areas at par with urban areas by spending Rs.100 crore  in each assembly constituency of the state in coming 4 years.

Besides this, Rs.8750 crore urban renewal programme has already been approved to ensure 100% potable water supply and sewerage system along with other civic amenities in 142 cities and towns of the state.

This was stated by Shiromani Akali Dal President and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal while interacting with media persons after addressing a mammoth gathering at annual Jor Mela Conference at here today.

He said that the state government was all set to upgrade the infrastructure by providing world class civic amenities in both urban and rural areas of the state in coming 4 years.

He said that the people of Punjab have recently reposed their faith in development agenda initiated by SAD-BJP government and the alliance was committed to take the development initiatives to the higher orbit.

Replying a query on the burning issue of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that there were so many stake holders in this issue so it becomes imperative for the Congress led UPA government to allay their apprehensions besides making provisions for  safeguarding the interest of small traders as well as small farmers before taking any step in this direction.

Replying a query, the Deputy Chief Minister said that Shiromani Akali Dal has always believed in value based politics and resignation of three Ministers were a clear example that the party would always remain committed to value based politics. He said that on the other hand Congress led UPA government was facing embarrassment on every alternative day due to expose of scam after scam. He said that Union Coal Minister, who belongs to Congress and facing the stigma of allocating coal mine to his brother, was still not ready to resign.

Replying on a question of possible alliance of Capt. Amarinder Singh and Manpreet Singh Badal, the Deputy Chief Minister said that both were spent forces and desperate to find their feet again in state politics. Zero plus zero was equal to a big zero, he quipped.

Answering a query, the Deputy Chief Minister informed that Chief Minister was reviewing the progress of Adarsh schools and strict actions would be taken against any discrepancy found in the working of these schools. He said that the state government would not hesitate to change the allotment of such schools to other stake holders.

Earlier, addressing an impressive gathering in a conference organized by Shiromani Akali Dal, the SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Congress Party was all set to wipe out from the National political scenario after coming general elections as it has made the life of a common man miserable by imposing unparalleled inflation besides its anti-farmer policies. He said that people were itching their hands to bundle out Congress led UPA government in coming Lok Sabha elections. He said that Congress has a unique history that wherever it was rejected twice by the electorates, it never made come back and quoted the examples of Bihar, Uttar Pardesh, Madhya Pardesh, Bengal and Gujarat.

He said that Shiromani Akali Dal was the second oldest political party of the country with a 90 years glorious history of taking up the fight of common man and taking the struggle to its logical ends. He categorically said that there was no place for indiscipline and factionalism in the party set up. He exhorted the party workers to unite and leave aside differences, if any or otherwise get ready to face the music. He said that with surplus power by next year, linking of all major cities and towns with 4/6 lanes,  setting up of textile hub in Bathinda region, setting up of world class universities and other education facilities and setting up of international/domestic Airports, the people of Punjab would witness world class infrastructure in the state soon and feel proud.

Balwinder Singh Bhundar, MP, Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, MP, Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Cabinet Minister Punjab, Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Former Union Minister, Gurdev Singh Badal, Former Minister, Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra, General Secretary SAD, Mahesh Inder Singh Nihal Singh Wala and Deep Kumar Malhotra, both MLAs, Paramdeep Singh Gill, Former DGP, Bibi Gurcharan Kaur, Kartar Singh Brar and Nidharak Singh Brar also spoke on the occasion.