CM kick-off development programme for Bassi Pathana

Bassi Pathana (Fatehgarh Sahib) October 3, 2012: In a bid to accelerate the mission initiated by the SAD-BJP government to strengthen the infrastructure throughout the state, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today kicked off the development programme in the Bassi Pathana constituency by laying the foundation stone of an ultra modern PRTC bus stand to be constructed at a cost of Rs. 4 crore.

Addressing a mammoth gathering on the occasion, Badal said that the state government had already prepared a comprehensive plan to provide all basic civic amenities like fresh drinking water, sewerage system, roads and street lights etc. in all the towns of the state and same would be launched for Bassi Pathana soon in a phased manner.

Badal also announced a new Veterinary Hospital, Administrative complex, Community Centre and Sports Stadium    besides a Skill Development Center for Bassi Pathana for imparting skill tanning for the uneducated or dropout youth of the area to handsomely earn their livelihood. Reiterating the firm commitment of SAD-BJP government for bringing overall development of the state and facilitate the people, Badal said that the state government was adopting a new system to provide pensions and Shagan to the beneficiaries at their door steps through the active involvement of banks, which would also avoid their unnecessary harassment .

Lashing out at the Congress led UPA government, the Chief Minister said that the Union government has indirectly encroached upon the rights of state by imposing terms and conditions on grants given to them where as these funds are in fact the taxes collected from the states only.  

Badal said that by imposing their policies on the state governments, the Center government was weakening the basic foundations of the Federal system in the country which was not in the interest of the democracy. He emphasised on the cordial Centre-State relations for the prosperity of the country and said that the agrarian state like Punjab had suffered a tremendous loss because of Centre’s anti Punjab and anti farmer policies that had shattered the state’s economy.

He said that the Union government was indebting the poor countrymen by exorbitantly hiking the price of petrol, diesel and LPG at regular intervals and now they were again planning to hike the diesel price. Training his guns against the Congress party the Chief Minister said that the countrymen are fed up from this anti-people, UPA government. During its regime the social maladies like unemployment, poverty, inflation and illiteracy have increased manifolds, added Badal.

Badal asserted that SAD-BJP government had fulfilled its each and every promise that they had made with the people of Punjab and had changed the scenario in sectors like school and higher education, health, skill development, employment generation, sports and many other. The promise to make Punjab a surplus state in power sector would also be fulfilled shortly with the completion of three thermal power plants at Rajapura, Talwandi Sabo and Gowindwal Sahib.

Referring to the issue of FDI in retail, Badal said that SAD was not in the favour of FDI in retail sectors, as it would directly affect the domestic retail business. 

Earlier MLA Justice Nirmal Singh welcomed the Chief Minister and raised certain development issues of the constituency, for which Chief Minister had made announcement on the spot.

Later, talking to the media persons Badal said that there was complete peace and communal harmony in the state and no question of revival of terrorism in the state. Replying to another question regarding e-billing, Badal said that it was a new system introduce to bring transparency and every concerned sector must adopt it willingly. He also informed that state had made elaborate arrangements for the smooth procurement of paddy but non availability of storage as centre’s laxity on moment of paddy was hindering the entire operation.

Prominent amongst those who spoke on the occasion included Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar, Rural development Minister Surjit Singh Rakhara, senior SAD leader Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra and MD PRTC DPS Kharwanda. Besides,   MP Paramjit Kaur Gulshan, Prof. Kirpal Singh Badungar, Secretary Transport Mandeep Singh. and many other SAD, BJP leaders and SGPC members attended the function.