The Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that the coming Progressive Punjab Investor Summit would be an annual feature as Punjab has received tremendous response from giant industrial houses to invest in Punjab. Addressing the media persons here after laying the foundation stone of Amritsar Press club along with Public Relations Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia and Local Bodies Minister Mr. Anil Joshi, Mr. Badal said that the investor summit would be play a proactive role to boost up state's economy as more than 30 big companies from Abroad have sent their proposals to sign MOUs with State Government during Investors' meet worth Rs 50,000 crore, which would be implemented on ground in next 6 months. Mr. Badal has also said that as per the strength of the state in Infrastructure, geographical situation,Punjab has indentified some preferred areas like Housing, Infrastructure & Renewable Energy, Biosciences and Healthcare, Information Technology, Agro and Food Processing and Textiles sectors for investment.He further disclosed that the big guns of industrial sector like Mukesh Ambani , L.N.Mittal , A.M.Naik, Malvinder Singh, Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and Sunil Kant Munjal are coming to take part in Investor meet.Replying to a query about the Property tax, Mr. Badal said that congress led UPA Government has forced the state to impose the tax as they had stopped all grants, scheduled to be released under Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. He also announced that “if UPA Government removes all the superfluous terms and conditions then Punjab Government would not take even a minute to remove property tax.” Referring to the all round development of Amritsar, Mr. Badal said that “we are already preparing the master plan, which I am personally looking into”. He said that keeping in view the religious, cultural and historical importance of the city, Amritsar would bear a new look in two year as it has a great potential to emerge strongly on the tourism and IT map across the country.
Congratulating the journalists on the occasion Mr. Badal also announced that Punjab Government has decided to set up Press clubs in all major cities across the state and the budgetary provision has also been made for this purpose. It may be mentioned here thatAmritsar Press Club is being constructed in a 3000 yards plot in Bhai Gurdas Nagar, New Amritsar at the cost of Rs. 3 crore. It would be a triple storey building having 8000 square feet covered area and comprise of a meeting hall, sound proof press conference hall, library and a dining hall.
Earlier addressing a rally at Majitha, The Deputy Chief Minister said that “there is the worst time ahead for congress on political front as in the election semifinal (Assembly elections in 5 states) people have voted to ensure the defeat of congress”.In his address, Revenue Minister and President of Youth Akali Dal, Mr Bikram Singh Majithia said that “the 90 year old Sharomani Akali Dal is all set to play a new political innings in Delhi”. “We are not only going to open our account in Delhi assembly but going to win all four seats with impressive margin”, he added. He also announced that the Punjab Government has sanctioned two multipurpose stadiums in Majitha and Mattewal.
For the facelift of Amritsar City and adjoining roads, the Deputy Chief Minister has also laid down the foundation stones of various development projects worth Rs 365 crore. It mainly includes4- Lanning of Amritsar-Majitha- Fathegarh Churian Road, Bye Pass Chowk to Majitha. (at Majitha) with 81.33 crore, Construction of 1328 Flats under BSUP Scheme with 58.20 crore, construction of Press Club Building at New Amritsar with 2 crore, Construction of 4-Lanning and service lane of ASR-Tarn Taran-Sarhali-Harike Road Railway crossing to Guruwali with 11.74 crore, Beautification and Improvement of Chowk Gurudwara Shaheedan with 2.66 crore, Beautification of 4- Lanning of ASR-Tarn Taran-Sarhali-Harike road from Gurudwara Shaheeda to UBDC with 8.67 crore, Multi Storey Parking under Durgiana Mandir Beautification Scheme with 20.22 crore, Development of G.T Road from Bhandari Bridge to G.N.D.U. woith 48.04 crore, Upgradation upto 4- Lanning and service lane on both sides of Amritsar-Ajnala Road (Sec. Kitchlu Chowk to Meerakot) with 40.01 crore, Widening and Strengthening of Circular Road up to Kitchlu Chowk with 16.24 crore, Construction of 4- Lanning of Amritsar Sohian- Fathegarh Churian Road from Rattan Singh Chowk to Nangli with 36.40 crore, Construction of Road from ESI Hospital Majitha Road to Ranjit Avenue Block with 11.40 crore, Amritsar-Pathankot-Kandla Road (Batala Road, ASR) with 28 crore.Representatives of Amritsar press club had also honored the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Public Relation Minister Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia and Local Bodies Minister Mr. Anil Joshi for fulfilling the long pending demand of journalists.Prominent amongst present on the occasion included CPS Inderbir Singh Bolaria and Navjot Kaur Sidhu.