The Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today paid rich tributes to Sant Fateh Singh on his 42nd death anniversary at a state level function organised here at his native village.Remembering the founder of modern day Punjab for his unprecedented contribution towards formation ofthe state, the Chief Minister said that Sant Fateh Singh has immense contribution towards formation of Punjab as Punjabi speaking state. He announced that the death anniversary of Sant Fateh Singh would be observed each year as a state level function. Mr. Badal further said that we should retain 'golden state' which was a result of the untiring efforts of Sant Fateh Singh.Later on interacting with the media persons, the Chief Minister while reiterating the firm commitment of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to get back the Punjabi speaking areas and Chandigarh, hitherto deprived of the state, said that no stone would be left unturned for getting this demand met from the NDA led Government of India (GoI). “In all other linguistic states the parent state has retained capital, which has not happened in case of Punjab due to the apathetic attitude of the then Congress regime. It is high time that historical mistakes are rectified and Punjab state is given its right,” he said.
The Chief Minister further said that SAD-BJP led Punjab government would take up matter of upward revision of the wheat’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) from Rs 50 per quintal announced recently. He said that implementation of the formula given by the renowned agro-expert Dr. MS Swaminathan, who had mooted costs of inputs plus 50% profit as basis for the MSP, was the need of the hour to bail out the farmers from current agrarian crisis. Mr. Badal said that both the SAD and the BJP had been a votary of the Swaminathan formula and it was the high time that the GoI must implement it in the larger interests of the farmers. “More than 80 percent of people in Punjab are directly or indirectly related to agriculture making it mandatory for the center government to hike MSP to the level where the mismatch between input costs of agriculture produce and MSP announced for these was removed,” he said.
Answering a query on the equation of SAD-BJP post the results of Haryana assembly elections, the Chief Minister said that SAD-BJP enjoys a cemented bond and would continue to do so, as the alliance between both the parties was everlasting. Earlier, the Chief Minister laid the foundation stone for modernization of cattle fair ground at Maur, which would be tenth in state to be modernized. To be constructed at a cost of Rs 11.48 crore this modern cattle fair ground would have controlled traffic, facilities to load and unload animals from vehicles, covered and uncovered sheds for animals, drinking water arrangements for animals, water, toilets, canteen and lodging arrangements for animal traders.
The Chief Minister also inaugurated sewerage treatment plant with five Million Litres Daily (MLD) capacity. Based on modern technology, the water treated at STP could be used in agriculture and construction purposes. The treated water would be carried through pipe having 500 mm radius laid over 16 kms of area, which would provide water for irrigation to the fields and remaining would be emptied into Lasara drain near Mandi Kalan village. It would relieve problem of sewage overflow in the village.Prominent among others present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, MP Rajya Sabha Balwinder Singh Bhunder MLA Mr Jeet Mohinder Sidhu, Chairman Milkfed Mr Amarjit Singh Sidhu, former chairman SSB Board Mr Tejinder Pal Singh Sandhu, SGPC member Gurtej Singh Dhadde, BJP organizing secretary Mr Dyal Singh Sodhi, SAD Bathinda press secretary Dr Om Prakash Sharma and others.