Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal along with the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today dedicated the first unit (700 MW) of 1400 MW Super Critical Rajpura Thermal Power Station (RTPS) constructed by internationally acclaimed engineering giant L&T here amidst lot of fanfare and enthusiasm thus declaring ‘Punjab as the only power surplus state’ in the country. Addressing a mammoth gathering here at village Mirzapur, the Chief Minister said that with the commissioning of RTPS, the SAD-BJP alliance government has fulfilled one of its major promises under the flagship program to make Punjab not only self-reliant in power sector but also surplus so that it could sell additional power like food grains, which would not only strengthened our state’s economic position but also speed up the process of its overall development and prosperity. He said, “We all are well aware of the fact that power is the crucial factor which was instrumental for the growth of the state be it in agriculture, industry, domestic or service sector and now the scarcity of power will be a story of the past”.Highly appreciating the initiatives taken by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister lauded him for making Punjab as surplus state in power besides ensuring an overall infra structural growth and development in terms of the best road, Air and Rail connectivity to boost the tempo of economic activity across the state. He credited Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for implementing new ideas to showcase Punjab as the major investment destination in the near future across the globe adding the Chief Minister said he was confident that the day was not very far of when the big investors/ entrepreneurs not only from the country but from the other parts of the world would be vying to set up their ventures because an investment mood has been set into motion and two days progressive Punjab Investors Summit slated to be held in Mohali from December 9-10 was also a pointer towards his commitment to emerge Punjab as the most preferred investment destination not only on the industrial map of the country but also across the globe.
The Chief Minister also felicitated the Executive Director L&T Mr. SN Roy for undertaking this gigantic project which would usher a new era of overall development and prosperity in the state through achieving self- sufficiency in power. He also urged Mr. Roy to set up a state-of-the art Skill development cum training centre at Rajpura to train the local youth so that they could be gainfully employed in the industry to which Mr. Roy gracefully acceded to the request of Mr. Badal. Expressing gratitude to the people of Punjab for their heartiest wishes on his 86th birthday, the Chief Minister said that he was committed to serve the people of the state till his last breath and does not nurture any ambition to move to national politics. On the occasion he also cut a cake on the dais brought by the local SAD leadership. Slamming the Congress, the Chief Ministers said that it was number one enemy of Punjab, which has ruined its industry, peasantry and even hit the common man (Aam Aadmi) worst due to uncontrollable inflation, rampant corruption, maladministration and inefficiency. Mr. Badal said that he had already predicted that the Congress would be eliminated from the country in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls and his prophecy has come true as Congress has been completely vanished from all the four states Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Delhi. Adding he said it was a trailer and full picture was yet to come as the Congress has been badly routed in Delhi, which was once considered as a strong bastion of the party, where its Chief Minister Mrs Shiela Dikshit could not retain her seat and lost badly to AAP President with a huge margin, which was a severe blow to the credibility of the party. He said that Congress would surely meet the same fate in the forthcoming general elections in the country.
The Chief Minister said that the Congress had always been inimical to the interests of Punjab and he was confident with winds of change blowing across the country to oust Congress UPA led Government at Centre for the installation of NDA government under the Prime Ministership of Mr. Narendra Modi. He said that SAD-BJP alliance government in Punjab would have better synergy with the NDA government at centre and could seek better lucrative packages for the betterment of the state and its people whereas the UPA government had blatantly ignored the justified rights of Punjab and Punjabis by meting out a step motherly treatment to them. Lending a helping hand to the economically weaker sections of the society in the state, the Chief Minister announced that the Atta-Dal scheme to provide Atta and Dal at subsidised rates of Re 1 and Rs 20 per kg respectively has now also been extended to the farmers having land holding of below 2.5 acres and persons with annual income less than Rs 60,000. In his address Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that from now onwards besides catering the Power need of state, Punjab would also sell power to other states in the country. The Deputy Chief Minister said beginning of Power generation from Rajpura Thermal plant was a gift for Punjabis on 86th birth anniversary of country’s great political stalwart Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. He said that Power, Road and Air Connectivity, Industrial Transformation, welfare of all sections of society and holistic development of Punjab were the key agendas of SAD-BJP government, which were being implemented in a phased manner.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that Punjab has set new milestones in the field of Power and Road-Air connectivity while Industrial revolution was on the anvil in the state. He said that Progressive Punjab Investors Summit would not only fetch massive investments in industrial sectors but also create job opportunities for lakhs of Punjabi youth. Thanking electorates of National Capital and congratulating the SAD-BJP leadership and workers for winning three Vidhan Sabha seats, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said these results have shown that SAD is not a regional party as it has already one MLA in Haryana and now three in Delhi. He said, “Congress would be no more after ensuing general elections since electorates have thrown out this anti-people party’s from power in four states including devastating its last strong castle Delhi.” Announcing to spread wings of SAD in national politics, Deputy Chief Minister said that the next target of SAD is Uttar Pradesh and it would field its candidates in UP on those seats having Punjabi population. Advising PPCC Chief Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa to learn a lesson from these results, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that with the humiliating defeat of Congress in the recently concluded assembly polls in four states the last rites of the party has been performed and now it was better for the state Congress President not to dream in broad daylight as there was hardly any possibility of party’s any revival in near future adding he said that the SAD-BJP government has undertaken such phenomenal development projects in power, infra structural and now industry which would certainly enable them to comfortably rule for next 25 years in the state.
It may be mentioned here that at present, 7250 MW power is available in the state against the demand of 10,471 MW during peak season. The completion of three thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Goindwal Sahib having joint power generation capacity of 3920 MW is all set to change power scenario in the region with our state certainly having an advantage to further offer it to industry.Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Cabinet Ministers Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Mr. Chunni Lal Bhagat, State BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Media Advisor to Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Jangveer Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Mr. NK Sharma, Babu Parkash Chand Garg and Mrs. Mohinder Kaur Josh, MLAs Mrs Varinder Kaur Loomba and Justice (Retd.) Mr. Nirmal Singh, former MPs Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mrs. Amarjeet Kaur, former MLAs Mr. Ranjeet Singh Talwandi and Mr. Mohan Lal Banga, Chairman District Planning Committee Ludhiana Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, Chairman District Planning Committee Patiala Mr. Deepinder Singh Dhillon, former Minister Mr. Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Power Mr. Anirudh Tiwari and Chairman PSPCL Mr. KD Chaudhary.