Chandigarh/Khanna, March 10
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal today announced that once the SAD formed the government in Punjab it would give both Khanna and Jagraon the status of districts. Disclosing this while addressing a huge rally here as part of the party’s Punjab Bachao campaign along with Yadwinder Singh Yadu, the SAD president said, “I am committed to honouring the demand of the people of this area who want their towns to be turned into districts to boost their economies as well as ensure easy redressal of grievances”.
The SAD president also announced that the Khanna grain market, which was Asia’s largest such market, would be modernized. “At present both the infrastructure as well as facilities available in the market are not up to the mark,” he said. He also announced that the party once it forms the government would endeavour to raise the commission on wheat and paddy, which was recently capped at 1.5 per cent, to 2.5 per cent being given during Parkash Singh Badal govt. “This is necessary as once the livelihood of the Arhatiyas is threatened the farmers too will feel the pinch,” he added.
Speaking about his vision for the State, Badal said the SAD was committed to bringing the IT industry to Punjab in a big way. “We have identified Mohali and Amritsar as cities most suitable for inviting investment in the IT sector. Both have the required skill set for establishment of this sector on the lines of Bangalore and Hyderabad besides modern infrastructure, including airports,” he added.
Badal also asserted that the SAD stood for development of the border districts of Punjab as well as its Kandi belt. “We feel a special industrial package alone can develop both these regions. Besides benefitting the economies in these areas, new industry will ensure much needed employment to our youth. We will also ensure that at least 75 per cent of jobs in these new industries are reserved for Punjabi youth”, he added.
The SAD president also condemned chief minister Bhagwant Mann for passing disparaging comments against women on the occasion of International Womens Day. He said it was shocking that a chief minister could indulge in character assassination of women in public at an official function. He also condemned the chief minister for wasting precious resources amounting to Rs 4,400 crore on pasting his picture across Punjab as well as all over the country even as farmers still awaited compensation for crop damage and the poor were being denied social welfare benefits like Shagun and Aata Dal. He said now this failed government had decided to give Rs 1,000 per month to women for a few months by taking a loan of Rs 52,000 crore and selling government properties. “This is an attempt to purchase votes by offering cash,” he said.
Badal also announced the next SAD government would eradicate gangsters and drug mafia from the State. “We will bring in legislation to deny bail to gangsters and drug lords and seize their complete properties”, he said. Announcing another priority of the next government, Badal said, “I will not let one drop of industrial or sewerage effluent enter the Sutlej and Beas rivers. The violators will be dealt with sternly. This is absolutely essential to tackle the scourge of cancer in the Malwa belt”.
The SAD president also announced that the SAD would not allow water to flow into the Rajasthan canal once it came to power. Badal said the Congress was responsible for handing over Punjab’s waters to Rajasthan and that he was committed to correcting this historic injustice. “All water diverted from the Rajasthan canal will be diverted to the fields of Punjab,” he said. He also announced that the ‘Rahat’ scheme initiated by the erstwhile SAD government would be revived to put an end to tax terrorism to which traders were subjected to both during the previous Congress and present AAP government.
Badal also disclosed that fifty per cent seats would be reserved in government and private medical and engineering colleges for students of meritorious schools and that they would be imparted professional education free of cost. “We will also open medical and veterinary colleges in each district besides establishing a Skill University which will train youth as per the requirement of the industry. We will also offer an Rs 10 lakh interest free loan to the youth to encourage them to become entrepreneurs,” he added.
