The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today strongly lashed at Congress led UPA Government for its blatant discrimination of Punjab and other non-Congress states by denying them ‘Drought Relief’ despite 70% deficient rains in Punjab. He said that UPA should understand the fact that it was meant to govern the country not only Congress ruled states. Speaking at a rally organized on the occasion of Rakhar Punyan here today, Badal said that Punjab was the first state to seek Rs. 2030 crore from Calamity Relief Fund of Union Government as the monsoons failed just at the time of sowing of Paddy crop. He said that this raised the demand of Power and diesel to a record level. He said that though Punjab Government had already purchased power worth Rs. 7000 crore, that was 10 % more than last year’s peak demand but total failure of monsoon increased the power consumption putting a load on total electrical system. Badal said that Powercom was purchasing every unit of power available in the market and even at exorbitant rate of Rs. 12 per unit but power was not available in the open market. He refuted the allegations of overdrawal of power and said that Northern Grid Collapsed due to 51% overdrawl by Haryana and 29% by UP. He said that lack of action against national crisis created by Haryana was not justifiable. He said that enterprising Punjabi farmers resorted to diesel pumps buying diesel from open market, just to ensure that their already sown crops do not wither away due to failure of monsoon. He said that Punjabi farmers were conscious of their duty towards fulfilling their commitment to contribute more than 50 % to the Central Pool but Union Government has ignored the commitment and sincerity of Punjab farmers by denying them relief due to drought. He said that the input cost due to diesel and other inputs has increased by Rs. 8000 per acre whereas Union Government has ditched the farmers by announcing meager hike in MSP of Paddy. Badal said that Punjab farming sector consumes more than 3 % diesel of the total nation’s consumption, which has risen to 8 % due to unprecedented dependence on diesel pumps. He regretted that Union Government has failed to compensate for Punjab farmer for money spent by them on increased requirement of diesel. He said that Shiromani Akali Dal and its NDA partner parties would strongly raise this issue in the ensuing Monsoon Session of Parliament, corner the government and pressurize them to do justice with Punjab. He said that he along with the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would soon call on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and other ministers to plead for drought relief and additional allocation of 1000MW power from the central pool. Badal said that SAD would continue to agitate till it gets relief from Union Government. Accusing the Congress led UPA Government for denying due share in the central taxes collected from the states, the Deputy Chief Minister said that out of Rs. 100 central taxes collected from Punjab, the central government was giving only Rs. 1.31 paisa as central funds that too with many pre-conditions and strings. He said that it is the Congress led Union Government that has laid down conditions on Punjab that it should levy property tax or house tax, charge for water usage etc, only then it would release 1.31 % of share of state in the central taxes. He said that Union Government was blackmailing the state governments to impose taxes on common man for releasing their legitimate share in the central taxes. Questioning the intention of Union Government for withholding Rs. 20000 crore relief to the states in a lieu of agreed principle of compensating states for loss suffered by them after lowering Central Sales Tax from 4% to 2%, Badal said that despite clearance by the then Finance Minister, PMO was deliberately withholding the grants to blackmail the state to levy taxes on the common people. He said that Union Government was squeezing the economy of the states by withholding their genuine share in the taxes and have reduced states to glorified municipalities. He said that Shiromani Akali Dal would continue to fight till Punjab receives 50% share in the central taxes according to the true spirit of federal setup envisioned by our freedom fighters.Lambasting the Union Government for unprecedented price rise of essential commodities, he said that it was just because of their wrong economic policies that a common person was paying through his nose to survive. He said that during Janata Party Government, we use to get sugar at Rs. 1.25 per kg, which was now available at Rs. 50 per kg. He said that weekly price rise of petrol and hanging Damocles swords of price rise of diesel and LPG, has left common man as a pauper. Badal said that it was unfortunate Union Ministers were oblivious of difficulties being faced by common man on the street and were speaking elitist languages of common man spending more on Pizzas and Mineral Waters. Badal said that people of this country were totally fed up of insensitive government and were waiting for Lok Sabha elections to shunt out this Government in the pages of history.Reiterating the resolve of SAD-BJP Government to make Punjab No. 1 investment destination of South-East Asia, Badal said that by next year with the commissioning of three thermal plants at Talwandi Sabo, Goindwal Sahib and Rajpura, we would get 3920 MW extra power that would reduce our dependence on Union Government and make us self dependant on power front. He said that by next year every city of Punjab would be linked with 4/6 lane roads and at every 100 kilometer, Punjab would have an international airport. Badal said that Punjab is all set to attract 1 lakh crore investment in the industry sector within next five years, that would provide jobs to more than 20 lakh youth of the state.Announcing to launch unique Rapid Rural Police Response System, Badal said that with 10,000 dedicated rural force 289 intercepting vehicles and 12185 fast accelerated motorbikes, the Punjab is all set to have most modern and intensified Rural Patrolling System in the country. He said that he has already approved Rs. 52 crore for this unique system.Mr.Badal said that he has issued directions to all SSPs to launch an intensifying drive against petty crimes of snatching, theft and eve-teasing and said that such elements would be dealt with heavy hands. Badal said that non-performing and insensitive police officers would face music and Punjab Police would have to become responsive and sensitive to the general public. Speaking on the occasion Revenue and Public Relations Minister, Bikram Singh Majithia ridiculed Punjab Congress Party for raising hue and cry on rationalization of power tariff by statuary body by Union Government and questioned their deliberate silence on unprecedented price hike inflicted by Union Government besides weekly price hike of petrol.Prominent amongst those who addressed the conference included Gulzar Singh Ranike, Cabinet Minister, Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Virsa Singh Valtoha, Harmeet Singh Sandhu and Des Raj Dhugga (all Chief Parliamentary Secretaries), Rattan Singh Ajnala, Member Parliament, Manjit Singh Manna, MLA, Rajmohinder Singh Majitha, former MP, Senior Vice President of SAD Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former Minister Captain Balbir Singh Bath, Bhai Manjit Singh, Upkar Singh Sandhu and Bhai Ram Singh.