Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* LAUDS NDA GOVERNMENT FOR EXEMPLARY WORK IN SHORT SPAN OF ONE YEAR
* HAILS MODI FOR LAUNCHING SEVERAL PRO-POOR SCHEMES
* PUNJAB IMMENSELY BENEFITTED FROM NDA RULE
* STATE GOVERNMENT COMMITTED FOR SPEEDY VAT REFUND TO TRADERS/ INDUSTRIALISTS
* BATS FOR CROP INSURANCE SCHEME FOR FARMERS
Ludhiana, May 17- Terming that the ‘sins’ of successive Congress governments at center in more than six decades could not be washed overnight, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that despite of all odds the NDA government has done exemplary work in its short span of one year for ensuring the progress of country and prosperity of its people.
Interacting with the media persons after laying the foundation stone of several development projects here today, the Chief Minister, while congratulating the Prime Minister for successful completion of one year in office, lauded him for launching several pro-poor schemes within a short span of about one year. He said that under Mr. Modi’s dynamic and visionary leadership the NDA government has launched major pro-poor schemes like Jan Dhan Yojna, Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao, Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojna, Prime Minister’s Bima Suraksha, Atal Pension and Pradhan Mantri Jeewan Jyoti Bima Yojna, which were aimed at ensuring the welfare of common man. He said that none of other government at the centre has ever initiated such pro-people schemes in a short span of one year.
The Chief Minister further said that in a short span of NDA’s rule, Punjab has been immensely benefitted from it. He said that the Union government has given several key projects to the state, which would be instrumental in putting the state further on high growth trajectory. He hailed the NDA government for allocating prestigious projects like All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Post Graduate Horticulture Research and Educational Institute.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister reiterated the firm commitment of the state government to maintain law and order in the state at every cost. He said that sporadic incidents of law and order problem were persistent in every state and even the advanced countries like USA were also not aloof from it. However, Mr. Badal said that the state government was making every effort to ensure that law and order was not disturbed in the state.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government was committed for ensuring speedy payments of the VAT refund to the traders and industrialists. He said that the matter was under due consideration of the state government and the payments of the traders/ entrepreneurs would be made very soon.
On another query, the Chief Minister said that farmers of the state had been immensely benefitted from NDA government as accepting the demand of the state government the Government of India (GoI) has now revised the relief norms to the distressed farmers for the crop damage due to natural calamities across the country adding that now the farmers would be eligible for input subsidy if 33% of their crop has been damaged instead of earlier norms of 50% or more. Likewise, he said that in a big relief to the farmers affected by the unseasonal rains and hailstorm in the region the NDA government has decided to bear the value cut on their harvest. However, Mr. Badal said that it was not enough as the compensation of the crop loss must be rationalized and brought at par with the amount of loss. “Above all introduction of crop insurance scheme is the need of the hour to save farmers from the current agrarian crisis” he added.
Earlier addressing a massive gathering here at a public rally, the Chief Minister termed the SAD-BJP alliance government as the most secular government in the country. He said that the state government has taken path breaking initiatives for the welfare of each and every strata of society adding that it was a fact that the SAD-BJP alliance government was following the footsteps of the great Sikh Gurus who have taught them the message of communal harmony, love, brotherhood, peace and above all of egalitarian society with pure secular character. Mr. Badal said that was why that the state government have always taken adequate steps to ensure the all-round development of every section of the society.
The Chief Minister further said that strenuous efforts have been made by the state government to preserve the rich cultural legacy of the state by building world class monuments at a cost of nearly Rs 1000 crore to immortalize the memory of the great and unparalleled role played by our great heroes and martyrs in shaping the course of human history. He said these include the state-of-the-art Virasat-e-Khalsa memorial at Sri Anandpur Sahib, memorials of Vadda and Chhota Ghallughara , Baba Banda Singh Bahadur War memorial at Chappar Chiri, Bhagwan Valmiki ( Bhagwan Valmik Tirath Sthal Amritsar ) and Guru Ravidass (at Khuralgarh in Hoshiarpur). Mr. Badal said that apart from these, memorials of Swami Vivekananda at Kapurthala, Baba Jiwan Singh (Bhai Jaita Ji) at Sri Anandpur Sahib, Baba Moti Ram Mehra at Fatehgarh Sahib and Bhai Mati Dass, Bhai Sati Dass and Bhai Dayala Ji at Sri Anandpur Sahib were also at various stages of planning and execution.
The Chief Minister further said that in a major step aimed at providing world class civic amenities to residents of the cities across the state, the Punjab government has embarked a major scheme providing the facility of water supply, sewerage, Sewerage Treatment Plants (STPs), Streetlights, Roads and parks in all the towns of the state. He said that the focus of the state government was to refurbish the cities with the state-of-the art facilities so that the residents could be benefitted from it on one hand and giving impetus to the overall development of the state on the other.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Minister Mr. Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, his Advisor Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Nand Lal Gujjar, MLAs Mr. Ranjit Singh Dhillon and Mr. Manpreet Singh Aiyali, former Minister Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, Chairman Punjab State Subordinate Services Selection Board Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpuri, District BJP President Mr. Praveen Bansal, his Special Principal Secretary Dr. S Karunaraju and Deputy Commissioner Mr. Rajat Aggarwal.
