PM ASSURES BADAL OF POSITIVE RESPONSE ON ALL ISSUES RAISED BY HIM
CHANDIGARH – Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today called on the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh personally to extend invitation for inauguration of prestigious Khalsa Heritage Centre (KHC) at Sri Anandpur Sahib, slated to be inaugurated in the first fortnight of November. The Chief Minster also urged Dr. Singh to lay the foundation stone of Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali at his convenience.
Mr. Badal met the Prime Minister at his official residence in New Delhi this afternoon.
The Prime Minister accepted Mr. Badal’s request in principle and the dates for these two events would be finalized by the Prime Minister’s Office in consultation with the state government.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Mr. Badal also thanked the Prime Minister for establishing the prestigious ‘Borlaug Institute for South Asia’ (BISA) in the state at Ludhiana under the auspices of Mexico-based International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT). Mr. Badal also hoped that this Institute would prove to be a mile stone to herald the second green revolution by encouraging the value added crops like Maize and Oil seeds ultimately helping our farmers to come out of the rut of wheat-paddy cycle.
Mr. Badal also especially thanked Dr. Singh for the latter’s personal role in getting the general elections to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee conducted in September.
Taking part in the deliberations, the Chief Minister Chief Minister also sought the personal intervention of Dr. Singh to direct the Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation for the expeditious clearance of HUDCO loan of Rs.750 crore to fulfill the state government’s major initiative for providing basic amenities viz. roads, streets, sewerage, water supply, street lighting etc. in the urban sector. Mr. Badal reiterated that the loan was meant for providing basic civic amenities for people living in all urban areas of the state and therefore, the repayment of loan had been ensured through an Act by escrowing a Dedicated Revenue Stream in addition to the state guarantee.
The Chief Minister also urged Dr. Singh to immediately release Rs. 94.40 crore for the upcoming memorials for the martyrs of Chhota Ghallughara at Kahnuwan in Gurdaspur district, Wadda Ghallughara at village Kup Rohira in district Sangrur and the victory of Sikh forces at a battle heroically fought and won by great warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur at Chapar Chiri in district Mohali.
Mr. Badal demanded also raised the issue for the enhancement of time period for the execution of restoration works of infrastructure damaged due to floods from the current 45 days to 6 to 9 months as it was not feasible to undertake the completion of these works in such a short span. He also took up the matter with Dr. Singh for the upward revision of the norms for payment of relief to the affected farmers under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF). He mentioned that the existing relief norms were inadequate and just Rs.1600 per acre in case of 100% crop loss which should be at least enhanced to Rs.10,000 per acre.
Responding to the various issues raised by Mr. Badal, the Prime Minister assured the Chief Minister of positive response and said that he would soon get all these matters examined from the concerned Ministries expeditiously for early and effective response from the Centre.
