MULLANPUR DAKHA (LUDHIANA), DECEMBER 4: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister and President Shiromani Akali Dal today made a thunderous beginning of victory march, addressing the biggest ever rally in the political history of Punjab, reminding the people that Captain Amarinder Singh would come to his true character, if he comes to power again.
Addressing the rally, the Deputy Chief Minister reminded the people that during his previous term Captain Amarinder Singh remained in hibernation for four and half year, stopped all welfare scheme, forgot the promise of free power to the farmers, not made a single recruitment, not fulfilled a single demand of employees and remained aloof from people as well as MLAs. He said that Captain Amarinder Singh tried to befool the farmers by introducing free power in the last two months of his tenure. Mr. Sukhbir reminded the people that if people make the mistake electing him again, Captain Amarinder Singh would stop all pro-people, pro-farmers welfare scheme within the first week of his power. He said that Captain who has no time to meet his MLAs what to talk of ordinary masses.
Speaking about his development agenda, Mr. Badal said that he was happiest person today to see biggest ever gathering in his political career. Listing out pro-people initiatives of SAD-BJP government , Mr. Badal said that Punjab was the only state in the country that was giving free power to the farmer, shagun at the marriage of girls belonging to weaker sections, old age pensions to poor people, free 200 unit of power to the SC/BC families besides free education to the girls up to +2 level. He said that to check the dropout rate of girl students the Punjab is only state that was giving bicycles to the class +1 and class XII girls. The Deputy Chief Minister said that we could launch these welfare initiatives because we daily intermingle with villagers and know their pulse.
Scripting the other development initiatives of SAD-BJP government, the SAD President said that nowhere in the history of Punjab that state has witnessed such an unprecedented development that we have witnessed during last four and half years. He said that Rs 19,000 crore Bathinda refinery that Captain stalled for five years, has changed the socio-economic profile of the state. He said that with the completion of Goindwal, Talwandi Sabo, Rajpura and Mukatsar thermal plants, Punjab would be the first state that would be exporting power to other states. Mr. Badal said that due to doubling of revenue from Rs 36,000 to Rs 76,000 within four years the Punjab could spend Rs 6669 crores on development of road infrastructure in the state. He said that 32 ROBs at the cost Rs 410 crore, 500 ROs, strengthening of irrigation network at the cost of Rs 3337 crore, repair and upgradation of irrigation minors at the cost of Rs 1900 crore has given the real taste of development to the people of Punjab. He said that for the first time in the history of Punjab that record 94000 recruitments have been made in the government departments in most transparent manner.
Dwelling on governance reform initiatives Mr. Badal said that Right To Service Act enacted by the state government has made government employees accountable to the people. He said that now people are getting 67 services within stipulated time as a matter of right otherwise they have power to complaint against the erring employee, who would have to pay fine for delay from his own pocket. He said that computerization of land records , setting up of 154 Fard Kendras, establishment of 185 Police Saanjh Kendras, computerization of DTO offices, issuances of Registration Certificates by the Vehicle dealers has made the life of citizens easier.
Promising to make Punjab model development state of the Country, Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP was seeking repeat mandate to carry forward the development agenda and to take the agenda of governance reforms to its logical conclusion.
Earlier Mr. Balwant Singh Ramoowalia, Mr, Bikram Singh Majithia, Mr. Manpreet Singh Iyali and Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Badal also addressed the audience. Earlier retired PCS officer Mr. S. R. Klair joined the SAD fold along with his thousands of supporters.