Goniana Mandi, March 7
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the SAD, which was responsible for the modern Bathinda we see today, would now take the city to the next level of progress after forming the government in 2027 by making the city an industrial hub. Addressing a mammoth gathering here along with party halka incharge Dr Daljit Singh Guru, the SAD president said, “The SAD has to its credit established thermal plants in the district, an airport and made it an education and medical hub by establishing the Central University besides AIIMS and the Advanced Cancer Institute”. He said now in the next phase after coming to power in 2027 the party government would establish an industrial hub in the city. “This will give a boost to the economy of the region besides providing employment opportunities to our youth,” he added.
Badal also announced the establishment of a Skill University in 300 acres of land which would train one lakh youth every year. “Specialized training will be imparted by renowned companies so that the trainees can be absorbed in the same”. Badal, who also reacted to the cabinet decisions taken by the AAP government today, said after four years in government, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was again trying to befool the people by announcing establishment of a Medical College in New Chandigarh. “He apparently does not know former CM Parkash Singh Badal established the Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in New Chandigarh. If one is to see Mann’s record, the promised Medical College in Sangrur has not progressed beyond the foundation stone level even as the AAP government has failed to do anything to establish any medical college in any district of the State as promised”.
Speaking about the AAP government’s plan to launch a truncated scheme to give an allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to women for a few months, Badal said all women should be covered under the scheme as promised and no one should be left out. He also demanded the beneficiaries be first given Rs 48,000 each to cover the compensation due to them under the scheme for the last 4 years. “If this is not done the SAD will appeal to women to ‘gherao’ AAP MLAs when they come to them to seek their votes,” he added.
Badal also asserted that the SAD was committed to the welfare of women. “Today on the eve of International Women’s Day, I announce that besides raising the emolument under the Shagun scheme to Rs 1 lakh for marriage of daughters of under-privileged sections of society, the next SAD govt will give Anganwadi workers pre-nursery teacher grade besides bringing Mid-day meal and Asha workers under the Minimum Wages Act”.
Outlining his vision for Punjab, Badal said the SAD was committed to the complete clean up of all the Rivers in the State. We will not let a single drop of polluted effluent be discharged in the Beas and Sutlej rivers. “This is necessary to check the incidence of cancer in the Malwa belt,”, he said, while announcing that all farmers who were bereft of a tubewell connection would be given the same once the SAD government was formed. “We will also lay down underground pipes for efficient irrigation besides stopping water flow into the Rajasthan canal and diverting the same to the fields of our farmers,” he said.
Harsimrat Badal while speaking on the occasion said the previous SAD government had spent Rs 575 crore on the development of Bhucho constituency. She said besides a new Dana Mandi, nine new power grids had been established besides upgradation of 19 schools, new water works and primary schools, creation of the Goniana sub-Tehsil and creating the Nathana Market Committee.
