Lauding the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for launching several pro-poor schemes within a short span of about one year, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that it was just a beginning of restore the ‘pristine glory’ of the country. Addressing the gathering, after launching the Prime Minister’s Bima Suraksha, Atal Pension and Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti Bima Yojna here today, the Chief Minister, accompanied by Union Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, said that under Mr. Modi’s visionary leadership the NDA government has launched major pro-poor schemes like Jan Dhan Yojna, Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna besides three flagship schemes being launched today. He said that none of other government has ever initiated such pro-people schemes in a short span of one year. Mr. Badal said that these schemes of the NDA government were aimed at ensuring the welfare of ‘Aam Aadmi’ who had been hitherto neglected by the successive Union governments led by Congress at the centre.
Hailing these schemes which were the brain child of the Prime Minister to ameliorate the lot of poor and disadvantaged sections, the Chief Minister said that it would certainly prove to be a milestone in transforming their destiny. Giving sole credit to Prime Minister for this historic decision, he said that it was unprecedented in the history of Indian polity that a pro-poor initiative of such vast magnitude had been swiftly implemented with strong political will and determination. “Mr. Modi has not only served the poor and needy of the country but he has also enhanced the fame of India across the globe and I am hopeful in coming four years he will free our country from every problem faced by poor, industry and even the farmers” added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister said that in a short span of NDA’s rule, Punjab has been immensely benefitted from it. He said that the Union government led by Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi has given several key projects to the state, which would be instrumental in putting the state further on high growth trajectory. He said that Sri Amritsar Sahib the holy city of the state has been chosen as heritage city under the HRIDAY scheme, which would ensure flow of central assistance worth hundred crores of Rupees for its development. Likewise, Mr. Badal said that Jallianwala Bagh has been included amongst Cultural World Heritage Site to receive special assistance for improving the infrastructure. He also hailed the NDA government for allocating prestigious projects like All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Post Graduate Horticulture Research and Educational Institute.
The Chief Minister said that farmers of the state had been also benefitted from NDA government as accepting the demand of the state government the Government of India (GoI) has now revised the relief norms to the distressed farmers for the crop damage due to natural calamities across the country adding that now the farmers would be eligible for input subsidy if 33% of their crop has been damaged instead of earlier norms of 50% or more. Likewise, he said that in a big relief to the farmers affected by the unseasonal rains and hailstorm in the region the NDA government has decided to bear the value cut on their harvest. However, Mr. Badal said that it was not enough as the compensation of the crop loss must be rationalized and brought at par with the amount of loss.
“It is the high time that NDA government must also introduce a crop insurance scheme on the pattern of life insurance so that farmers could be benefitted from it” added Mr. Badal. In her address the Union Food Processing Minister Mrs. Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that Punjabis were fortune to have a Chief Minister who was well aware of their each and every problem. Likewise, she said that India was also on the path of resurgence as the country was headed by a Prime Minister, who comes from a very humble background but was decisive and visionary lead the country. Mrs. Badal said that despite of Financial mess done by the previous UPA government through scams and scandals, the NDA government was not only making efforts to ensure the all round development of country but has also taken path breaking initiatives to extend a helping hand to weaker and disadvantaged sections of the society.
The Union Minister said that from ‘Skill India’ and ‘Make in India’ to ‘Mudra Yojna’ every scheme of the Union government was aimed towards opening new vistas of employment for the youth of the country. Likewise, she said that Punjab had never got important projects in more than 60 years of ‘misrule’ of the Congress but the NDA government in almost one year has given several key projects to the state. “NDA government under Mr. Modi is committed for the welfare of all the sections of society and Punjab is being immensely benefitted from his dynamic vision and leadership” added Mrs. Badal. Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Cabinet Minister Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Sarup Chand Singla, MLAs Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta and Mr. Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, senior Akali leader Mr. Om Parkash Sharma, Secretary Expenditure Mr. Jaspal Singh, Chairman cum Managing Director of Punjab and Sind Bank Mr. Jatinder Preet Singh and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Basant Garg.