Punjab CM thanks Jaitley for giving special focus on Punjab in Union Budget 2015-16

Chandigarh, February 28, 2015: Expressing gratitude to the Union Finance Minister Mr.Arun Jaitley for giving several important projects to the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today said that it was in furtherance of the agenda of NDA to emerge Punjab as a leading state by ending a long spell of discrimination with the state during the misrule of the previous UPA government.

Complimenting Mr. Jaitley for presenting a visionary and pro-people budget, the Chief Minister said that the gifts given by the NDA government were a testimony of their commitment to emerge Punjab as a frontrunner state in the country. He said that key projects allocated by Mr. Jaitley to the state during the budget would give further boost to the economic development of the state. Lauding the announcement of setting up AIIMS in the state, Mr. Badal said that it would help in imparting world class health infrastructure and services to the people of the state. He said that they have been pressing the Union government since long for this ambitious project and by allocating AIIMS to the state Mr. Jaitley has given a much awaited gift to them.

Expressing gratitude to Mr. Jaitley for introducing a slew of pro-farmers decisions, the Chief Minister said that the fresh target of giving Rs 8.5 lakh crore credit to the farmers would help in mitigating the woes of the peasantry, which had suffered a lot due to the regressive and anti-farmers’ policies of the UPA government. He said that this decision of the Union Finance Minister would give a fresh lease of life to the farming community besides helping them to overcome the current agrarian crisis. Lauding the Union Minister for keeping Rs 5600 crore for the micro irrigation purposes, Mr. Badal said that it would be beneficial for the state as its water table was depleting with each passing day.

Likewise, the Chief Minister said that the decision to set up Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research in Amritsar was a welcome step as it would boost the prospects of ongoing efforts under Agriculture Diversification in the state. Mr. Badal said that promotion of allied farming activities like Horticulture were the need of the hour as agriculture was no longer a profitable venture. He said that in such a dismal scenario this institute could play a vital role in mitigating the woes of the farmers.

The Chief Minister also thanked Mr. Jaitley for including Jallianwala Bagh Memorial, Amritsar in the list of world Heritage project and termed that it was a real tribute to countless martyrs who had sacrificed their lives during the freedom struggle. Mr. Badal said that Union Finance Minister has demonstrated his commitment and passion for Punjab’s development by giving important projects like IIM, AIIMS and Horticulture Research institute in little less than an year of assuming the office. “Within this short span Mr. Jaitley had given more projects than the previous Congress governments at helms of affairs at centre and Punjab and Punjabis will ever remain indebted to him for this benevolence” he added.