Punjab Revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia today hailed Union finance minister Arun Jaitely for giving Amritsar the respect it deserves as a holy city by including it in the new heritage city development yojna as well as taking concrete steps to make the national industrial corridor a reality by announcing that the Kolkata – Amritsar industrial master planning would be completed expeditiously.“Never before have such twin largess been bestowed on Amritsar before”, said Mr Majithia while reacting to the union budget in a statement here. “We are filled with a deep sense of gratitude that the religious and historical significance of Amritsar has been recognised and it has been included in the Rs 500 crore National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY). This will give a fillip to the ongoing heritage conservation steps being taken by the Punjab government in Amritsar and truly put Amritsar on the world map”, he added.
The Revenue minister while thanking Mr Jaitely for his large heartedness and clear sense of purpose to develop Amritsar as a heritage city as well as give its economy a boost, said the national corridor would result in the development of infrastructure and smart cities which would transform the economy of the Majha region as well as the State. He said it was heartening that the national industrial corridor would finally be taken up for completion in stark contrast to being a paper project only during UPA rule.Majithia also noted that the union budget had spelt the end of an era of discrimination against Punjab at the hands of the Congress led UPA government which had many ministers from Punjab but did nothing for the State. “It is for the first time in a decade and Amritsar and Punjab have got their due”, he added.The Revenue minister said it was appreciable that the Union budget had looked into the concerns of Punjab and come out with steps to mitigate them. He welcomed the decision to establish an IIM in Punjab, which he said would have a catalytic effect on student intake in the corporate sector. “This was a project which was long overdue and I am sure the student community is in raptures following this announcement”. He said he would like the project to come up in Amritsar and would personally meet Union finance minister Arun Jaitely and urge him to allocate this premier institute to Amritsar.