The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that Congress led UPA government was taking revenge of Congress drubbing in recent Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections and exclusion of Punjab from Union Government’s Rs.2300 crore drought relief was a latest example of its anti-Punjab stance. He also rubbished the propaganda of Congress party regarding opening of Casinos in the state and said that there was no proposal with the state government and it reflected the sick and negative mentality of Punjab Congress leadership.After inaugurating a Rs.30 crore ROB on Bathinda-Lambi road connecting NH-64 to NH-10 and laying the foundation stone of Rs.70 crore project of 4 laning of Muktsar-Kotkapura road, Sri Muktsar Sahib, the Deputy Chief Minister said that UPA government was hell bent upon to squeeze the non-UPA combine ruled states and doing grave injustice to them for allocation of central funds by imposing unnecessary riders. He said that when coal, marble and hydro power producing states were entitled for royalty than why the Punjab was being denied to collect its genuine taxes on food grains being produced here. He said that Bathinda-Lambi road ROB would act as a ring road around Bathinda city thereby opening the way for rapid development of trans-railway locality in the city besides ensuring the smooth flow of traffic to Malout-Abohar-Ganganagar and Fazilka area bypassing Bathinda city. He said that the state government has decided to construct 27 ROBs/RUBs with an estimate cost of Rs.550 crore in next three years and work on 13 ROBs/RUBs have already started and 14 more to follow in next 14 years. He said that Rs.2500 crore project of 4 laning of 220 Kms Bathinda-Patiala-Zirakpur expressway would provide a vital link of Malwa heartland with state capital and shorten the journey time from present 4 and half hour to 2 and half hours, after its completion. He also announced the 4 laning of another vital link of Malwa heartland through Kotkapura-Faridkot-Zira with holy city Amritsar and expressed confidence that the construction would start from the next year.Announcing to set up a 300 acre education city in Bathinda, the Deputy Chief Minister said that top professional colleges including Business Schools were being contacted to set up their campuses in the proposed city to provide World Class education to the youngsters. He said that state government has decided to set up such 5 education cities at SAS Nagar, Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Amritsar. He said that the construction of Bathinda Domestic Airport terminal was almost completed and expressed confidence that domestic flights would be commenced in next 2-3 months from here to provide a vital air link thereby creating more business opportunities and attracting investments in the region. He said that the setting up of textile hub in Bathinda would not only benefit the cotton growers of the region but also create thousands of job opportunities for youngsters especially for girls.Later interacting with the media persons, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the state government has decided to deal with the developers of illegal colonies strong handedly as they have duped innocent plot holders. He said that criminal proceedings would be started soon against such erring developers. He said that from very next year, Punjabis would not have to suffer during summer as 3 thermal plants were all set to produce power to meet the requirements of state. He lambasted the Congress leaders criticizing the power shortage and dared them to prove that even a single additional unit of power was produced in the tenure or they have taken any single initiative on power front. Replying a query regarding opposition of new taxes by a former Finance Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister wondered that how those leaders have taken a u-turn, who were strongly advocating new taxes and withdrawal of free power to farming sector. When asked about any assurance given by Prime Minister on drought relief to Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister said that until you have been handed financial relief you can not say anything about Congress led UPA government’s promise. He said that with the first phase of governance reforms, the state government was all set to launch 2ndgeneration reforms providing 110 citizen services to the public to make their interaction with government a pleasant experience. Badal said that Excise & Taxation department would be the first department that would become paperless by December this year. He said that instructions of Excise Department to fill form online and to register their bills online were a step towards bringing transparency in the revenue administration and reducing the harassment of tax payers, who spent their time filling sheaf of forms for every return. He said that the state government was making all out efforts to develop paperless culture in official functioning in next 2 years.Reiterating the resolve of SAD-BJP Government to intensify its fight against drug addiction, Badal said that increasing seizures depicts the seriousness and gravity of the problem. He rubbished any difference with BJP on revenue administration issues.Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister, Sarup Chand Singla, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Darshan Singh Kotfatta, MLA, Baljeet Singh Beerbehman, Mayor, Gulshan Wadhwa, District President, BJP and Dayal Singh Sodhi, District President BJP (Rural).
Every city & town to have 4/6 lane highway connectivity
Later talking to Media persons at Sri Muktsar Sahib, the Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the state government has launched an ambitious programme of Rs.13,000 crore for connecting every city and town of state with 4/6 lane expressways in next 3 years. Besides this, Rs.10,000 crore were also being spent on providing safe drinking water & sewerage connectivity to each household of each city & town of the state, he added. Stressing upon the need for total quality control in the works being executed by various development agencies, Badal said that any dereliction or laxity in this would not be tolerated. He said that vigilance team was already probing allegations of low standard material in various works especially in Malwa region and on receipt of report strict action would be taken against guilty.Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Kanwarjeet Singh Rozi Barkandi, Manjeet Singh Barkandi, Mit Singh Brar, President, Municipal Council, Sri Muktsar Sahib.