Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday said that the State Government will give a much-needed fillip to the overall development of Patiala by pumping in crores of rupees in the coming days to give a major facelift to the royal city.

Mann, chairing a meeting with the MLAs and officers, said that the move is aimed at providing basic civic amenities to the people on one hand and giving impetus to the development of the city on the other.

He bemoaned that despite being a major city of the state, Patiala has hitherto lagged behind in the pace of development due to the blatant neglect of the successive rulers. However, now, the State Government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the development of the district is given a major push, he added.

Dwelling on the agenda, the Chief Minister said that the State Government is taking a giant leap forward in solving the problem of stray cattle in the city. “Total 77 development projects, worth Rs 57 crore, are already going on in the city. Likewise, the work to provide 24X7 canal water supply to Patiala residents is also going on in full swing which will be instrumental in providing regular and potable water supply to the people,” he added.

The Chief Minister also asked the officers to expedite the process of shifting dairies in the Ablowal dairy project where the plots have already been allotted. “Phase I of construction of Model Town drain has already been accomplished and phase II, covering six kilometers, will be completed at a cost of Rs 65 crore,” said Mann, while also reviewing the functioning of Sewage Treatment Plants and ensuring sanitation facilities to the people in the city.

Mann also took stock of the street lights, upkeep of parks, heritage street project, chotti-badi nadi project, among others to facilitate the people.

Directions were issued to the officers to ensure that the ongoing works are completed within their stipulated time period. He also directed the officers to ensure that the new projects are conceived, planned, and executed in a highly professional and transparent manner.