The Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for Punjab proposed in the Union Budget would be set up in Amritsar revealed Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) Punjab.In an interaction with media at Information Office, Golden Temple, DCM said that development of the holy city has always been his personal priority and now with the decision to set up IIM in Amritsar coupled with Union Finance Minister’s announcement to include holy city of Amritsar in the New Heritage City Development Yojna have given further impetus to the development of the region. The step towards completion of the Kolkata-Amritsar industrial corridor would get the much needed impetus, added Mr. Badal.
He further said that although Dr. Manmohan Singh Former Prime Minister of India belonged to Amritsar but he never worked towards bestowing highly prestigious status on Amritsar. Adding further he said that people of Punjab in general and Amritsar in particular were deeply indebted to the NDA government to have understood the religious and historical significance of Amritsar.He said that the union budget had spelt the end of an era of discrimination against Punjab at the hands of the Congress led UPA. The UPA government had never bothered to allot any significant project to the state. “It is for the first time in a decade and Amritsar and Punjab have got its due”, he added.Terming the Union budget as “progressive, growth-oriented and common-man friendly effort” Deputy Chief Minister said that NDA in its maiden budget had proved its sincerity and honesty towards the hard working people of Punjab by rewarding them with a bonanza to usher in an era of economic prosperity and growth in the state.
Later replying to a query pertaining Haryana Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, Mr. Badal said that any such move on part of Haryana government would be a clear transgression upon the residual power of the Parliament to make such a law as the existing Board was an Inter-State Body Corporate. He said that the move to pide the Sikhs by creating a separate Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee had been initiated by the Gandhi family as its latest anti-Sikh conspiracy. He said that Congress would not get through its nefarious design to weaken the Sikh community. Slamming the Congress government in Haryana for its proposal to constitute separate body for the management of Gurudwara affairs in the state, the Deputy Chief Minister said that this move was in accordance to age long policy of the Congress party to pide and rule. He said that by initiating this step Congress was again trying to pide the Sikh community, which would not be tolerated at any cost. Mr. Badal said that the SGPC was the supreme body of the Sikhs, which came into existence after countless sacrifices and none would be allowed to bifurcate it.
Earlier, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal along with his better-half, Union Cabinet Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, paid obeisance at the Golden Temple and partook in the bhog of Sri Akhand Path Sahib. They also reviewed the progress of the ongoing work of the Golden Temple Plaza.Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ravi Bhagat and Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jatinder Singh Aulakh were also present on the occasion.