SANGRUR, 22nd December:
Continuing his campaign to interact with the people at grassroots level to give fillip to the development of the villages, the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday said that the move is aimed at ensuring world class civic amenities to the villages at par with the cities.
Interacting with the people, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, amidst huge round of applause from the masses, said that the holistic growth of villages was the need of hour to give further impetus to all round development of the state. “The state government is already making all out efforts for ensuring public welfare and giving impetus to development of villages. This gigantic task could not be possible without active support and cooperation of the general public,” he added.
Striking an emotional chord with the people, the Chief Minister said that the people and their elected representatives should regularly monitor the ongoing development works in the state adding that this will help in quality execution of work. He exhorted people to make sure that concerted efforts of the state government for giving fillip to the development of villages are successful with their assistance and guidance. “The majority of the population of the state live in villages so the state government was committed to ensure unprecedented development in them,” he noted.
The Chief Minister asserted, “The Punjab government is committed to provide facilities at par with cities to facilitate people and no stone was being left unturned for this noble cause. The sole aim of holding such events was to prepare a road map for giving further impetus to ongoing development of the state and especially in the villages.”
Laying thrust on the comprehensive development of rural areas, he said that the state government has already sanctioned a number of projects for accomplishing this task adding he solicited the support of the general public in strengthening rural infrastructure to further accelerate the pace of development.
Later on interacting with the media persons, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has no dearth of funds for the development of Punjab adding that all the issues like garbage heaps, street light, sewage problems or others will be resolved soon. “In the last four years unprecedented development has taken place across the state as the Punjab government has never complained about any fund shortage. Contrary to the previous regimes which had landed the state in debt trap his government has been repaying the debts,” he affirmed.
Citing the examples, he said that the state government has bailed out the electricity board, repaid the loans of the sugar mills, Markfed and others. “The Punjab government has been managing many old debts so that past liabilities are cleared, without halting any new development projects. The government has created more than 58,000 jobs, new buildings of the schools have been built, 43,000 kilometres of roads are being constructed as the state government has managed the expenditure with financial prudence,” he pointed out.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has been making strenuous efforts for raising the standard of life in Punjab adding that earlier no one had ever heard that the students from state are becoming pilots. However, he said that now the state government has bought seven planes for imparting this world class training to the students so that they can get into high-level jobs now. “Dreaming is everyone’s right and not just that of the rich class due to which this government is providing benefits to ordinary people, not just to the wealthy,” he asserted.
In a fervent appeal to the newly elected Zila Parishad and Block Samiti Members, the Chief Minister said that the elections last for only 10–15 days but once elected, these elected representatives belong to everyone. “The members represent everyone and even those who didn’t vote for them, so it is their bounden duty to serve the people with missionary zeal. Work must be done for the well being of all, so that Punjab can progress and become frontrunner in every arena,” he affirmed.
Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said that the state government has adopted a zero tolerance policy against the menace of corruption due to which several reforms have been initiated. Citing the example of property registrations, he said, “The process is very easy nowadays as people don’t have to visit the offices for mutation or deed verification as online facilities are available. People have to just visit the sub-registrar office only for a quick photo and within 15–20 minutes, their registration is done.”
The Chief Minister said that several services have been shifted to online which has considerably reduced corruption adding that RTO offices across the state have gone faceless due to which people can renew or upgrade their licenses online. “Due to patronization by previous regimes, the curse of corruption was deep-rooted, but the state government has been making concerted efforts to uproot it. Nothing ends overnight, but the state government is trying vehemently to make Punjab corruption free,” he added.
When asked to comment on the centre government’s recent move to change the name of MGNREGA, the Chief Minister said that the change in nomenclature will hardly make any difference. “Name changes don’t feed the poor but the daily wage laborers only care that they get work, so that they can feed their families. Hardly any change was witnessed when Allahabad was renamed to Prayagraj or when a station named Sarai Kale Khan became Deen Dayal Upadhyay Nagar,” he noted.
The Chief Minister said that it was a sorry state of affairs that even cleanliness didn’t improve in these cities after the changing of names. All of us should be thankful that the country’s name hasn’t been changed yet by those at the helms of the affairs. Taking a jibe over Congress, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the leaders of the Grand Old party of the country are stuck on debating names, while we focus on real work.
Slamming the Union government for not releasing the legitimate share of the state in funds, the Chief Minister said that the centre government has illegitimately halted funds thereby putting unnecessary load on states. “This is unwarranted and undesirable as it is against the basic spirit of federalism in the country. The Punjab government is committed to safeguard the interests of Punjab and Punjabis and will vehemently oppose the step motherly treatment by the centre,” he asserted.
The Chief Minister said that the state government will soon launch the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna that will open doors of quality healthcare for 65 lakh families in state by allowing them to avail cashless treatment up to ₹10 lakh in both government and private hospitals across Punjab. “Likewise, the Punjab government will roll several more people-oriented schemes in the next budget session for the well being of the public. The Punjab government is committed for the welfare of every section of society and no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause,” he affirmed.
Assailing the Shiromani Akali Dal for misleading the people through slanderous campaigns through AI technology, the Chief Minister said that due to their fad for this new technology that they have forgotten their real work. “While AAP is spreading its wings across the country, the Akali Dal has been decimated in a few belts of the state with just two or three seats. Due to its people friendly and development oriented policies AAP has got the support from every section of society,” concluded CM Bhagwant Singh Mann.
