The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today decried Congress led UPA Government for using CBI against its allies to keep their flock together and said that such dirty tricks by the ruling party has reinforced the demand of the people to give total autonomy to CBI.
Talking to media persons after inaugurating Rs. 30 Crore Railway Over Bridge and laying foundation stone Sadr Police Station, Mr. Badal said that UPA that was on ventilator has activated its dirty tricks department to lash its allies into submission by launching raids against them and then disowning any responsibility for that. He said that UPA was using carrot and stick policy to force Mulayam and Maya to continue their support to this tottering government. He said that raids on Stallin on a flimsy issue of illegal Car Import were just a subtle message to Mulayam and Maya, sitting on fence, to fall in line or face similar vindictive actions. He said that NDA had been advocating total autonomy to Central Bureau of Investigation so that it was not used as a political tool by the ruling party but Congress Party was dragging its feet on this issue. Mr. Badal said that days of congress led UPA Government were numbered and it can not survive in the office for long by such dirty tricks. When asked about problems being faced in the registration of properties especially of illegal colonies, Mr. Badal said that Punjab Government was fully seized of this problem and has involved a comprehensive policy and in this session on Monday SAD-BJP Government was bringing out a holistic Legislation to regularize all illegal colonies in the state. Earlier addressing an impressive gathering at local grain market, the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that in Punjab Budget-2013, the SAD-BJP government has focused on the development of poor and unprivileged sections of the society by launching unique health insurance scheme besides ensuring quality education for poor children and girls opting for professional courses. He said that our government has decided to start a health insurance scheme for 15.4 lac poor families availing Atta-Dal scheme through which they can avail free treatment up to Rs. 30,000 in any private hospital too. He said that Bhai Ghaniya Insurance Scheme providing medical cover up to Rs.1.5 lac was also being extended to each resident of the state at a symbolic premium of Rs.100 per month.
The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the State government has also decided to provide Rs.30,000 scholarship per year to all those students of government schools getting 80% or above marks in matriculation for their two year senior secondary education. Similarly, such scholarship would also be provided to those girl students of government schools, who were opting professional courses like nursing. He said that the state government has also decided to set up 1,000 model schools in rural areas. He said that any village Panchayat, which offers 5 acres of land, would get this school to be constructed/operated/managed by the private developer. He said that all the students of the concerned village would get free of cost education besides an annual income for the village Panchayat.
Reiterating its commitment to ensure law & order in the state, the Deputy Chief Minister pointed out that a Rapid Rural Police Response System was being launched in the state soon at a cost of Rs.35 crore. He said that with this system Police assistance would be available in less than 20 minutes even in the remotest rural areas on a distance call. He said that the state government was all set to cover Amritsar and Ludhiana, both major cities of the state under its unique project Safe City at the cost of Rs.135 crores, to effectively curb the crime with ultra modern technologies in the form of CCTV cameras, mapping of crime prone areas, sensors, automatic license plate readers etc. He said that to facilitate public 147 more Saanjh Kendras at remaining Police stations were being set up at a cost of Rs.14 crore by March 31, 2014.
He said that the Rs.9000 crore plan had already been launched to provide world class civic infrastructure in Urban areas of the state in coming three years. He said that the state government has also decided to set up PUDA colonies in each city and town of the state to showcase its urban development model. He said that the Chief Minister has approved Rs.1700 crore for village link roads to be repaired/ renovated in next 4 months. He said that with the ambitious road projects of Rs.13000 crore, every city and town of the state would have 4/6 lane connectivity in coming three years. He also announced to set up an ultramodern hospital in district Mansa in coming months.
He said that projects worth Rs.70 crore had already been launched/ completed in Budhlada city alone and categorically assured that there would be no dearth of funds for the development of Budhlada constituency in future also. Later on the Deputy Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones of Rs.5 crore Adarsh School and Rs.2 crore Health Centre at Boha town. Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhundar, Member Parliament, Mr. Chatin Singh Samaon, MLA, Budhlada, Mr. Prem Mittal, MLA, Mansa, Mr. Jagdeep Singh Nakai, Former Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Harbant Singh Harta, Mr. Mangat Rai Bansal and Mr. Sukhwinder Singh Biroke, all Former MLAs also spoke on the occasion.