Welcoming the proposal of NITI Aayog to prune the list of centrally sponsored schemes and enhance the share of flexi funds, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that doing away all such schemes was the need of the hour and in the larger interest of the country.Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of his thanks giving tour in Dhuri assembly here today, the Chief Minister, while pleading for the scrapping of centrally sponsored schemes, asked the Union government to transfer the funds directly to the states as untied Funds and direct Grants to enable them to formulate schemes. He said that devolution of funds to the states in the right earnest could be a step for achieving the goal of true federal system. Badal said that they have been pursuing this agenda since long so as to empower the states for ensuring the welfare of people in a far more effective manner.
Expressing concern over the declining share of the Government of India (GoI) in the existing centrally sponsored schemes, the Chief Minister batted for enhancement in the share of Centre government in the centrally sponsored schemes. Mr. Badal said that it was unfortunate that the share of central taxes was continuously being curtailed whereas the state’s share was ever mounting. He said that this would put extra burden on the states, which were already having limited funds at their disposal to carry out development. “This trend needs to be reversed by enhancing the share of union government in all such schemes for ensuring holistic development of the states” added Mr. Badal.
Asked to comment on the statement of Congress leader Captain Amarinder Singh that the state government was pursuing ‘Panthic Agenda’, the Chief Minister said that the sole agenda of the state government was to strengthen the national unity and integrity by promoting the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood and peace in the state. He said that if the entire country pursues this agenda then peace and progress would prevail in the country. “Our agenda is of universal brotherhood and peace and none can ever deter us from doing this pious task” added Mr. Badal. Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the former Finance Minister Mr. Manpreet Singh Badal has no moral right to point finger towards the SAD-BJP alliance in the state. He said that the PPP leader has lost his credibility by frequently shifting his sides. “How can Manpreet raise question on our alliance when he was himself a chronic turncoat’” questioned Mr. Badal.
Earlier, addressing the public gatherings in village Dugni, Jaatimajra, Mallumajra, Daulatpura and in various wards of Dhuri city, the Chief Minister termed the SAD-BJP alliance government as the most secular government in the country. He said that the state government has taken path breaking initiatives for the welfare of each and every strata of society adding that it was a fact that the SAD-BJP alliance government was following the footsteps of the great Sikh Gurus who have taught them the message of communal harmony, love, brotherhood, peace and above all of creating an egalitarian society with pure secular character. Mr. Badal said that was why the state government has always taken adequate steps to ensure the all-round development of every section of the society.The Chief Minister further said that in a major step aimed at providing world class civic amenities to residents of the cities across the state, the state government has embarked a major scheme providing the facility of water supply, sewerage, Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), Streetlights, Roads and parks in all the towns by the end of 2016. Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to provide best civic amenities to the urban residents, Mr. Badal said that no stone would be left unturned for achieving this target. He said that the funds for this major project aimed at giving facelift to the cities have already been arranged and the work would be completed in a time bound manner. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mrs. Farzaana Aalam, MLAs Mr. Gobind Singh Longowal and Mr. Iqbal Singh Jhunda, his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Arshdeep Singh Thind.