To give further impetus to the overall development and prosperity in the 18 blocks of six border districts of Amritsar, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Tarn Taran, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today approved a comprehensive development package of nearly Rs 1433.97 crore for 2013-14 to ensure better quality of life to the inhabitants of these difficult areas besides percolating the fruits of welfare schemes for them through inclusive development at the grass roots level.
Presiding over a high level meeting with the MLAs and party leaders of SAD-BJP alliance representing 14 assembly constituencies in these districts here at Punjab Bhawan this morning, Mr. Badal asked the representatives of these assembly segments to mobilize the local Panchayats, Municipal Committees and other local bodies to elicit their huge participation in the development works in a result oriented manner to ensure timely and quality completion of these projects under their direct supervision.
Laying thrust on the need to get these development works done according to the felt needs of the people, the Chief Minister said that the elements of probity, accountability and transparency should be adhered to at all costs so that these funds meant for the welfare of the residents of the Border areas must be spent judiciously to provide the basic civic amenities to the people living in these difficult areas. Mr. Badal categorically said that the funds allotted for these works from tax payer’s hard earned money must be utilized in the right earnest. Outlining the broad contours of the package, the Chief Minister apprised the MLAs to spend these funds on the construction and repair of roads including link roads through PWD (B&R) and Mandi Board, implementation of potable water and sanitation schemes, strengthening and revamping of canals, water courses, channels and distributaries, upgradation of health care facilities, animal husbandry besides revamping the school and college infrastructure.
The Chief Minister directed the Chief Engineer canals to visit these areas personally and finalize the plan for de-silting and revamping of the canals, watercourses, channels and distributaries in consultation with the concerned MLAs so that the priority could be fixed for the execution of these works. Mr. Badal reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensure 24- hour domestic power supply on the urban pattern in all the Deras and Dhanis of Border and Kandi areas with a cluster of three or more households within this year at a cost of Rs 200 crore and the remaining Dhanis/ Deras across the state would also be covered under this program within two years.
The Chief Minister sanctioned grant of Rs. 83.15 crore for Ajnala, Rs. 57.35 crore for Chogawan and Rs. 51.67 crore for Attari block in Amritsar district. Mr. Badal also sanctioned Rs. 214.13 crore for Ferozepur city, Rs. 108.82 for Ferozepur Rural and Rs 62.48 crore for Guru Har Sahai in Ferozepur district. Likewise he also sanctioned Rs 104.93 for Fazilka, Rs 186.12 for Jalalabad and Rs 224.96 crore for Khuian Sarver in Fazilka district.
The Chief Minister also approved Rs 55.11 crore for Kalanaur, Rs 5.19 crore for Gurdaspur Block of Dera Baba Nanak assembly segment and Rs 48.98 crore and Rs 36.72 crore for Dinanagar and Dorangla Block respectively of Dina Nagar assembly constituency of Gurdaspur district. Similarly he sanctioned Rs 54.75 crore for Bamial and Rs 8.55 crore for Narot Jaimal Singh Block in Boha assembly segment of Pathankot district. The Chief Minister also sanctioned Rs 78.07 crore for Bhikiwind and Rs 24.42 crore for Valtoha block of Khemkaran assembly segment in Tarn Taran district besides Rs 28.57 fcrore for Gandiwind block of Tarn Taran assembly segment.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Forests Minister and MLA Fazilka Mr. Surjit Kumar Jiyani, Cabinet Minister and MLA Attari Mr. Gulzar Singh Ranike, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and MLA Gurdaspur Mr. Gurbachan Singh Babbehali, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and MLA Khemkaran Mr. Virsa Singh Valtoha, Chief Parliamentary Secretary and MLA Ajnala Mr. Amarpal Singh Ajnala, MLA Boha Mrs. Seema Kumari and former Cabinet Minister Mr. Sucha Singh Langah, Apart from these Principal Secretary Rural Development and Panchayat Mr. Mandeep Singh Sandhu, Principal Secretary Education Mrs. Ravneet Kaur, Managing Director Punjab Health System Corporation Mr. Hussan Lal, Special Principal Secretaries to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Director National Rural Health Mission Mr. Raj Kamal Chaudhary, Chairman PSPCL Mr. KD Chaudhary besides Chief Engineer Canals Mr. AS Dulat and Chief Engineer Drainage Mr. Vinod Chaudhary were also present in the meeting.