CM BADAL URGES MODI TO HELP PUNJAB FOR RAPID INDUSTRIALIZATION
Ludhiana, October 18- To put the state on strong pedestal of industrialization, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi to constitute an expert group as agriculture, the mainstay of our economy has reached plateau. Addressing the gathering during the national function to honor nearly 250 Micro, Small and Medium scale Entrepreneurs here at Punjab Agriculture University (PAU), the Chief Minister, accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, said that Punjab's economy had been badly shattered on account of several factors like partition immediately after freedom, decades long militancy, liberal concessions to neighboring states and finally discriminatory freight equalization policy. He said our border districts were worst affected due to our hostile neighbor, which resulted in economic backwardness and thus it was a high time for the Government of India (GoI) to address this issue on top priority by ensuring a level playing field for hard working and innovative industrialists of the state. Mr. Badal said that with the squeezed margins of profit in agriculture sector, industry was the only viable solution for development of state and prosperity of its people. Taking an opportunity to highlight the plight of current agrarian scenario, the Chief Minister impressed upon Mr. Modi to constitute another expert group to make agriculture a remunerative preposition. He said that the farmers of the country were facing an acute crisis and the GoI was duty-bound to bail out the food growers of nation from it. Mr. Badal said that farmer of Punjab needed special dispensation as we owe an obligation towards the resilient peasantry which had sacrificed everything to make our nation self sufficient in food production. He said that the expert group must suggest ways and means to make farming a profitable venture. Complementing Mr. Modi for launching surgical strikes on terror pads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that this unique and bold initiative has rejuvenated the spirit of patriotism and nationalism amongst the countrymenHe said that the unprecedented, courageous, heroic and decisive act of Mr. Modi hardly finds any parallel across the globe. The Chief Minister further said that in a short span of BJP led NDA government’s rule at centre under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Mr. Modi, Punjab has been immensely benefitted from his benevolence. 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. Mr. Badal 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 and other major projects. He urged the Prime Minister to spare some time from his busy schedule as per his convenience to lay the foundation stone of prestigious AIIMS at Bathinda, which would certainly prove to be a milestone in the state's Health care and diagnostic sector. Mr. Badal also profusely thanked the Prime Minister for including Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana under Smart City project and Amritsar under HRIDAY scheme besides giving heritage status to the legendary Jallianwala Bagh Memorial. Acceding to the request of Chief Minister, Mr. Modi consented to lay the foundation stone of AIIMS whenever the state government extends invite to him. Highlighting the major initiatives taken by the state government to promote industrial development, the Chief Minister said that acknowledging fully the power as an engine for industrial growth, the state was today power surplus. He said that besides providing cheapest power to industrial sector in the country the Punjab government has also taken a lead by setting up single window system to give early clearances to all prospective investors in the state. "Punjab government is committed to provide the conducive business environment and will take every step to promote industry in a big way" he added. The Chief Minister mentioned that Ludhiana was the industrial hub of Punjab and has been ranked as the best city in India under the “Doing Business” category, by the World Bank, for two years in a row- 2009 & 2013. He said that the launch of SC/ ST hub by the Prime Minister reflected his vision to empower these underprivileged strata of society. Mr. Badal said that gone were the days when they were exploited but now with this initiative they would now actually participate in the process of nation's development and prosperity. In his address Union state Minister and Punjab BJP Chief Mr. Vijay Sampla lauded the initiative taken by the NDA government in empowering the SC /ST Brethren by promoting entrepreneurship spirit amongst them. He said that this would immensely benefit around 34% Dalit populace in the state by transforming their destiny as job providers instead of job seekers. Mr. Sampla also lauded the path breaking initiatives taken by Modi government like Stand up India, Skill India, Digital India and others to empower the youth by opening new vistas of self employment for them. The Union state Minister also held the NDA Government for allotting big ticket infra structure projects for the state. He said that these major infrastructure projects would give a major boost to ongoing development of state. Mr. Sampla also lauded the Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi for taking unprecedented step of conducting surgical strikes in PoK to destroy terror pads from across the border. Prominent amongst other present on the occasion included Union Minister for MSME Mr. Kalraj Mishra, Union State Ministers Mr. Piyush Goyal and Mr. Giri Raj Singh, Punjab Governor Mr. VP Singh Bhadnore, Speaker Punjab Assembly Dr Charanjeet Singh Atwal, Cabinet Ministers Mr. Anil Joshi, Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Mr. Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, MLA Mr. KD Bhandari and former state BJP Chief Mr. Kamal Sharma.
