Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today announced that SAD-BJP government would soon come out with a special comprehensive program to boost the overall development and growth of the kandi area to ensure prosperity of its residents of this backward region, which had been blatantly neglected since long. After laying the foundation stone of 16 KM long Kullar-Rattewal-Tibba Nangal-Bainsa-Sarai Ka Pattan(Bunga Sahib) road at a cost of Rs.28.5 crore, named after Maharaj Sri Bhahma Nand ji Bhuriwale Marg, the Chief Minister categorically said while addressing a public gathering here at Dera of Swami Chetna Nand Bhuriwale on the occasion of his birthday that whatever development had taken place so far in this backward belt of the state had been only initiated by the SAD-BJP government, while the successive Congress governments totally ignored the development of this region which warranted the most due to backwardness of agriculture coupled with scanty irrigation facilities and poor road connectivity. He said here problems were aplenty which needed focused attention to address them permanently and assured the people he would soon hold two-day Sangat Darshan Program in the villages of the region as per the demand raised by the local MLA Dr. Daljeet Singh Cheema. He asked Dr. Cheema to come over Chandigarh within couple of days where he would convene a meeting of the senior officers of the Water Supply & Sanitation Department to permanently resolve the problem of poor quality of water supply infested with heavy presence of iron in 45 villages of Nurpur village block. He assured that he would asked the Secretary Water Supply & Sanitation to sanction some viable canal based drinking water scheme to cover all these villages to ensure their residents safe potable water. Appreciating Dr. Cheema for his concern for the development of Ropar constituency in general and the area falling under kandi belt especially, Badal said that the special program on the development of Kandi region would be instrumental in transforming the lives of people living here in distress over past several years. He said that Dr.Cheema’s dedication, honesty and sincerity as MLA would be of immense significance in changing the destiny of the people who had been ignored so far due to the want of some dynamic and visionary leader. On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced to set up Municipal Committee in Nurpur Bedi village and a special scheme to cover 45 villages of Nurpur Bedi block under Canal Water Drinking scheme besides undertaking repair of all link roads in the Ropar constituency on the priority. He also handed over a cheque of Rs.1.75 crore for the scheme of irrigation water supply from sewerage treatment plant at Ropar and Rs.45 lakh for the construction of Health Center at Abiyana Kalan to Chief Conservator of Soil and Advisor Agriculture Dr. Balwinder Singh Sidhu and Deputy Commissioner Ropar Mr.PK Aggarwal respectively. He also announced the strengthening and widening of Abiyana-Tibba Tapprian-Kanpur Khuhi road upto 18ft. In his welcome address, MLA Ropar Dr. Daljit Singh Cheema urged the Chief Minister to hold a sangat darshan at the earliest so that their issues and long pending demands of the area could be resolved on the spot without any further delay. He also thanked Badal for his all out efforts to ensure the overall development of Ropar assembly constituency by initiating major projects like bye-pass, bus stand, NCC Academy, North India Service Selection Center, IIT besides upcoming IT Park over an area of 45 acre.Earlier, Swami Chenta Nand Bhuriwale lauded the Chief Minister for his personal initiative for the overall development of this backward region and assured the people of this region would be ever remain indebted to him for his benevolence.Later talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister said that FDI would ruin the small traders and shop keepers as the Shiromani Akali Dal had already passed a resolution thereby totally rejecting it the party level and there was no question of changing its stand on this issue.Asked to post Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) in Sri Anandpur Sahib on the pattern of Khanna and Phagwara, Badal said that state government had already done so much for the development of this historic city which was beyond anybody’s imagination. He said that Virast-e-Khalsa and Sri Anandnpur Sahib-Naina Devi Ropeway would soon bring the historic city of Sri Anandpur Sahib on the international tourist map.Prominent amongst other who spoke on the occasion included PWD (B&R) Minister Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Ch. Nand Lal and the President Garibdasi Educational Bhuriwale Trust Mohinder Singh Baghi. Earlier, the Chief Minister accompanied by Health & Family Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, Advisor to Chief Minister Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal visited the Maharaj Brahm Sagar Brahma Nand Buriwale Garibdas College Tibba Nangal and sought blessing from Vedant Acharaya Swami Chetna Nand ji