Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today appealed to the people to give overwhelming support to the SAD in the forthcoming municipal elections to kickstart another era of development in this town. Addressing largely attended public gatherings at various places in the town, the SAD president said “after an era of record development during SAD tenure which witnessed the modernisation of the entire town including it’s road network and sewerage facilities besides upgradation of it’s education and medical facilities, all development has come to a standstill during the last nine and a half years”. He appealed to the people to vote for the SAD to restart development in the city and the constituency, stating both the Congress and AAP governments had betrayed them”.
Mr Badal also interacted with women on the occasion with a large number of whom said they had not received any direct transfer in their accounts as was being touted by the AAP government. Asserting that the government owed each of them Rs 55,000, Mr Badal said a three month allowance of Rs 3,000 did not even cover the interest on the total amount owed to the women.
The women on their part told Mr Badal that they were being denied social welfare benefits like Shagun and old age pension even while the benefits under the aata-daal scheme had been pruned.Mr Badal also announced on the occasion that once the SAD formed a government in the State it would give 30 kilograms of flour under the aata daal scheme at the rate of Rs four per kg besides providing pulses at Rs 20 per kg.
He said the Shagun emolument on the marriage of girls from weaker sections would be raised to Rs 1 lakh and that the old age pension would be increased to Rs 3,500 per month. The SAD president also visited the residence of senior party leaders Ashok Aneja and Prem Valecha on the occasion along with party halka incharge Satinderjit Singh Manta.