The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister, S. Sukhbir Singh Badal today struck an emotional chord with the people and said that during previous 9 years SAD-BJP has carried out record development in the state. He also exhorted the people to again vote for SAD-BJP in 2017 assembly elections in order to ensure that the rapid pace of progress initiated in urban, rural, industrial and social sectors continues un-hindered.He said that this is a golden period for Punjab as alliance partner of SAD, the BJP is ruling at the center as the SAD-BJP government of the state would be able to take Punjab to further heights of glory owing to better co-ordination with the NDA government.Addressing a massive gathering here today on the occasion of completion of 2 years of NDA government, the Deputy Chief Minister presented the success story of Punjab in an impressive manner. He said that the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister, S. Parkash Singh Badal is scripting story after story of Punjab's development but the opposition parties are out to foment trouble by unleashing a misinformation campaign to malign the name of Punjab.Making the picture clear about development scenario in Punjab, S. Badal said that the state government adopted revolutionary measures during previous 9 years to keep the economy in a robust condition which resulted in increased tax receipts and debt rate registering a decline.
He further said that opposition parties are spreading white lies about the debt situation in Punjab whereas the states of Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat have debt rate much higher than that of Punjab. He disclosed that the state government has increased the revenues of the state by sound economic planning and according to that ratio, the incurred debt is very less.The Deputy Chief Minister also elaborated that the SAD-BJP government has notable achievements to its credit in infrastructural sector and the revolutionary measures promulgated in production of power, governance reforms and industrial sectors has lead to the uplifting of the standard of living in the state. Castigating the anti-Punjab opposition for deliberately maligning the fair name of Punjab on drugs and financial condition of the state, he presented the true picture before the people with the aid of facts.Touching the issue of distribution of central taxes, he disclosed that Punjab only gets just 29 percent of the central taxes whereas UP gets 76 percent, Jharkhand 81 percent and Bihar 120 percent. He also said that Punjab used to get very less share in central funds on area and population basis during the UPA regime but the Finance Minister in NDA government Mr. Arun Jaitley has come to the aid of Punjab by liberally opening central coffers.Divulging about other achievements, he said that Punjab is the only state with power surplus status and every household gets 24 hour power supply. Disclosing further, S. Badal said that the PSPCL which was making losses until 2007, has now been transformed into a profit making concern and it has even been conferred with the award for exceptional power distribution. He also cleared that not even a single new thermal plant was commissioned during Captain Amarinder Singh's tenure whereas during SAD-BJP rule, 3 thermal plants were commissioned.
Giving more details, S. Badal said that Punjab Government has established Punjab Invest Promotion Bureau where all the necessary clearances from 18 departments regarding opening new industrial units are given under a single roof by one officer. Terming it as a novel achievement of Punjab government he said that it has shown remarkably good results. He also informed that industrial units making new investments in Punjab are being provided power at a cost of Rs. 4.99 per unit whereas the other states are providing the same at the rate of 7 -10 percent. In comparison to Punjab, the states of Haryana , Delhi and other states are also giving domestic electricity at exorbitant rates.Coming to other development centric issues, S. Badal elaborated that Punjab has registered outstanding transformation in road network also with more than Rs. 20000 crore being spent on 4 and 6 laning of roads whereas in congress rule, a paltry sum of Rs. 3000 was spent on road infrastructure. He also said that Punjab has added another feather to its cap with it having international airports at Mohali and Amritsar despite being a small state. He also said that international flights would begin soon from the Bathinda airport.S. Badal also divulged that the state government has not left any stone unturned in ensuring all round progress of the state which is evident from the all cities having sewerage and drinking water supply and the state government giving employment to 1.15 lakh youth with another 1.13 lakh jobs in the pipeline. The Congress during its tenure from 2002-2007 only gave employment to 24000 people.On the occasion, he profusely thanked Mr. Arun Jaitley for giving prestigious AIIIMS-Bathinda, IIM-Amritsar and other projects to Punjab.
The Union Food Processing Industries Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal took on the previous UPA government and said that it never paid any heed to the development of Punjab in general and Bathinda in particular whereas the NDA government selected Bathinda amongst the 200 cities chosen where the achievements of previous 2 years of NDA would be showcased. She also said that in the past 6 months, FDI has increased to a great extent in the country whose growth rate has climbed up to 7.9 percent. Terming UPA as a government of scandals, she dared the congress to list a single achievement during its decade long rule at the center.
On the occasion, Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley while listing major achievements of NDA government said that the NDA would chalk out a plan to make operational 35 airports in smaller cities of the country. He also said that NDA has constructed 10000 KM highways in last 2 years besides devising a strategy to re-develop 400 railway stations in the country. Taking a dig at Captain Amarinder Singh, he said that now Captain is behaving like a cry baby when his family's foreign accounts have been unearthed. He said that NDA government would always help Punjab in every hour of need and SAD-BJP would make a hattrick in next year's assembly polls.Among prominent persons present on the occasion were, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment and Punjab BJP President Mr. Vijay Sampla, Union Minister of State Mr. Upinder Kushwaha, Member of Parliament Mr. Prabhat Jha, Rajya Sabha Member Mr. Shwet Malik, Rural Development and Panchayat minister, S. Sikander Singh Maluka, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, Mayor Balwant Rai Nath, former state Presidents of BJP Mr. Kamal Sharma and Ashwani Sharma and Bathinda District President of BJP Mr. Mohit Gupta.