Punjab Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal today said that in order to ensure the balanced growth of the rural areas in a holistic manner the Union government must implement the genuine Federal structure in the country. Addressing the gathering during the first day of Sangat Darshan program in the thanks giving tour of the Moga assembly constituency here today, the Chief Minister categorically said that knowing well the needs of the country the framers of the Indian constitution had envisaged true federal system for the nation. However he said that unfortunately by adopting the policy of excessive centralization of powers, the successive Congress governments at the center have turned it into a unitary form of government. Mr Badal said that this policy of the Union government has resulted in the lopsided development of the many areas, which was not in the interest of the country.
The Chief Minister said that the only solution for removing this disparity was to implement the true federal structure in the country thereby giving more powers to the state for ensuring the well being of the people. He said that it was a known fact that the state governments were well connected with the people at the grass root level due to which they were more aware of their needs. But Mr Badal bemoaned that today due to the Unitary form of government the states were virtually on the mercy of the Union government to carry on the development works. We have to seek permission from the centre for even carrying out any small work of public importance, he added. Equating the state governments with dignified Municipal Committees, the Chief Minister rued that they have to look towards the centre for seeking grants for the welfare of the people despite of the fact that they were giving huge revenue to the center in form of the taxes. He said that there was hardly any justification for the faulty criteria of the devolution of taxes according to which the states were getting 32% of the total revenue collected from them. “Due to the weakening of the federal structure the country was not only facing a number of social maladies like poverty, unemployment, illiteracy but it has also adversely affected the progress of the states”, added Mr Badal.
Thanking the electorate of Moga for the landslide victory of the SAD-BJP alliance candidate Mr Joginder Pal Jain in the recently concluded by-election, the Chief Minister said that this victory has filled the alliance with even greater humility and responsibility towards fulfilling the aspirations of people. He said that the state government would leave no stone unturned for ensuring the unprecedented development of the Moga assembly constituency. Mr Badal further said that he was undertaking this thanks giving tour to not only mitigate the problems faced by the people but to express gratitude for their benevolent gesture of reposing unflinching faith in the policies and programs of the alliance time and again.
The Chief Minister further said that in coming years not only Moga but the entire state would witness a new era of unprecedented development of Punjab. Mr Badal envisioned that the concerted efforts of SAD-BJP government would fructify into realizing the concept of New Punjab, which was aimed at ensuring balanced growth of both rural and urban sectors at par with the basic civic amenities and excellent infra structure so that the people of the state could lead a quality life. Listing out the priorities of the SAD-BJP government, Mr Badal said that providing quality Healthcare and Education facilities besides basic civic amenities to the people was on the top of their agenda. He said that the state government was spending Rs 1700 crore for upgrading and strengthening of the network of rural roads across the state. Likewise Mr Badal said that efforts were afoot to ensure the supply of potable drinking water to the every village of the state.
During the Sangat Darshan program the Chief Minister disbursed a grant of Rs 75 lakhs for developmental works in village Maheshari, Kaliyewala, Chotian Khurd, Chotian Kalan and Darapur. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Lok Sabha MP Mrs Paramjeet Kaur Gulshan, MLAs Mr Joginder Pal Jain and Jathedar Tota Singh, senior Akali leader and former DGP Mr PS Gill, Special Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr KJS Cheema and Deputy Commissioner Mr Arshdeep Singh Thind.