Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal has said that Punjab has always rooted for recommendations of swaminathan commission for permanent solution of agrarian crisis and wants minimum support price of crops to be linked with wholesale price index. He also said that SAD-BJP government is leaving no stone unturned to make agriculture a profitable venture.Talking with mediapersons on eve of sangat darshan in Fazilka Vidhan Sabha constituency, S. Badal said that state government is devoted to protecting interests of farming community which is amply proved by waiving of tubewell electricity bills of farmers. He also informed that state government is bearing expenditure of Rs. 6000 crore from state exchequer. He also divulged that state government is connecting farmers with cashless health insurance scheme under which families engaged in farming would be able to avail free treatment upto Rs. 50000 annually from designated hospitals and its premium would be paid by government. Disclosing more, he said that state government is giving subsidy to tune of 33 percent to make available tractors and other agricultural implements to farmers in order to mitigate rising cost of agriculture.
Deputy Chief Minister further informed that state government is taking every possible step to address waterlogging problem in south western districts of state and is spending Rs. 250 crore to check this menace. Disclosing further, he said that SAD-BJP government is commencing a project worth Rs. 2200 crore to ensure clean drinking water to all villages of Punjab. He also said that new water works would be constructed in cluster of 1-1 or 2-2 villages where many villages have joint water works. He also gave directions to complete a survey of every village of Fazilka district and provide R.O. plants in villages wherever they are presently not available.Coming to Urban and Rural Development, S. Badal said that state government is spending Rs. 6000 crore this year for developing rural and Rs. 4000 crore for urban areas besides spending Rs. 25-30 crore in each vidhan sabha constituency. He said that developing Fazilka from every aspect is priority of state government.
S. Badal met panchayats of 57 villages of Fazilka district during sangat darshan at Mandi Ladhooka and Theh Kalandar and gave instructions to concerned departments to release grants worth Rs. 16 crore for all round development of these villages.Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister was given a warm welcome on reaching here, by Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab, Mr. Surjit Kumar Jyani who thanked Deputy Chief Minister and said that this area had seen development only with SAD-BJP government at helm. He also said that apart from making Fazilka a district, grants are being given for its development from every aspect.On this occasion, MLA Gurtej Singh Ghuriana, Mrs. Vijay Lakshmi Bhadu, O.S.D. to Deputy Chief Minister, S. Satinderjit Singh Manta, Chairman Market Committee Fazilka Mr. Vinod Bajaj, District President SAD Mr. Gurpal Singh Grewal, Chairman Block Samiti Fazilka Mr. Malkit Singh, Deputy Commissioner Mrs. Isha Kalia , SSP Mr. Indermohan Singh and other dignitaries were also present.