AJITGARH, MAY 9: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister, Punjab today said that Congress Party was again at the old job of making efforts to scuttle central grants for Punjab.
Speaking to media persons, after the installation ceremony of famous Punjabi folk singer and film artist Mr. Harbhajan Mann as new Chairman of District Planning Committee, here today Mr. Badal said that Punjab Congress unit spent last five years in scuttling central grants, development package for the state with the hope that they would be able to derail the accelerated development campaign of SAD-BJP Government. He said that despite their vicious campaign our government was able to showcase unprecedented development to the electorate, on which they have put their stamp of approval by re-electing the same government. He said that electorates of Punjab have seen through the anti-state game of congress party and had punished them by dumping them in Vidhan Sabha elections. He said that Punjab Congress leaders have not learnt any lesson from their humiliating defeat and was again active to scuttle package or central grants for state. He regretted that whereas in other states all parties join their hands to seek central grants for the states but frustrated Punjab congress party has failed to sense the anger of electorates on this issue.
When asked about choice of Mr. Harbhajan Mann as new chairman, Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP has chosen Mr. Mann as he has ability, vision and international exposure to take the development of Ajitgarh district in the higher orbit. He said that besides continuing old unfinished projects Mohali would soon have international level exhibition center besides a convention center to give a promotion platform to IT companies setting up their units here. He said that in next two-three years Mohali would witness such an unprecedented development that it would put the parent city Chandigarh in shade. He said that with the operationalization of international flights from Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport Mohali, the development of this region as international IT hub would get a big boost.
On the issue of problems of grain storage, Mr. Badal put the blame squarely on the Union Government’s old habit of taking decision when harvest season was over. He said that they had been pleading Union Government to move the old grain stock from the state, increase the storage capacity, allow more silos besides permitting export of wheat to Pakistan and other Central Asian countries through newly inaugurated Attari ICP but Union Government has failed to take any timely step. He said that it was unfortunate that Union Government has failed to provide sufficient gunny bags to all wheat producing states.
Earlier, Mr. Badal congratulated Mr. Harbhajan Mann on assuming new responsibility and hoped that Ajitgarh area would witness futuristic development under the leadership and guidance of Mr. Harbhajan Mann.
Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included former Union Minister Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, former MLA Mr. Ujagar Singh Wadali, Punjabi folk singer Mr. Satinder Sartaj and Mr. Gursewak Mann.