Samrala/Chandigarh, March 1
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today announced the SAD was committed to establishing a world class Skill University immediately after assuming power in Punjab in 2027. Addressing a huge gathering here as part of the party’s Punjab Bachao movement, the SAD president said the Univeristy would have one College affiliated to it in each district. “We will set a target of imparting skill education to one lakh youth every year. The industry will be part and parcel of this drive and will train youth as per their requirements to ensure assured employability. I am convinced this is the way forward for Punjab. We are already running a pilot project in Muktsar in coordination with L&T and are confident of replicating it across the State”, he added.
Badal also came down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party government for imposing tax terrorism against the trading community. “Traders are facing GST raids even as taxation officers have been given targets and are constantly raiding shops and imposing steep penalties on them”. He said all this would stop once the SAD government was formed. “The Rahat scheme, which stipulated a onetime tax, will be reintroduced and taxation officers will be barred from entering trading establishments”.
Coming down heavily of on all Delhi based parties, Badal said neither the Congress, AAP or the BJP were concerned about safeguarding their interests. “They only come to rule”. He said in stark contrast the SAD had always stood with them through thick and thin. “Even though we now have only three legislators in the State assembly we stood by you during the devastating floods last year when you were abandoned by both the centre and the AAP government”. He appealed to Punjabis to extend wholehearted support to the SAD while asserting that they could not afford to experiment any longer.
Badal also announced that the next SAD government would ensure tubewell connections to all farmers who were bereft of this facility. “We are also committed to providing interest free loans of Rs 1 lakh to youth to enable them to become entrepreneurs. We will also provide flour and lentils at Rs 4 and Rs 20 per kg under the Aata – Daal scheme and increase assistance for marriage of daughters of weaker sections to Rs 1 lakh”.
Later while talking to newsmen, Badal said Punjabis in the middle – East had been caught in a war zone and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take urgent steps to evacuate all Indian citizens from the most affected countries. “A special air-lift drive in this regard should be initiated immediately upon opening of air routes”, he asserted.
SAD president also expressed gratitude to the SAD cadre of Samrala as well as Punjabis who gave an unprecedented response to the Punjab Bachao rally. He also appreciated the hard work put in by Samrala Halka Incharge Paramjit Singh Dhillon which had strengthened the SAD immensely in this constituency.
