Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday approved Rs429.95 crore comprehensive plan for the overall development of border districts and Kandi areas (sub-mountainous) of the State.
Presiding over separate meetings with SAD-BJP MlAs from 16 Assembly constituencies of Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Amritsar and Gurdaspur border districts and 17 of Kandi districts of Mohali, Roopnagar, Nawanshahar, Hoshiarpur and Pathankot, Badal asked the concerned Deputy Commissioners to immediately finalize the proposals for seeking funds under Border Areas Development Fund (BADP) and Kandi Area Development Fund (KADF).
The Chief Minister allotted funds to the tune of Rs 247 crore and Rs182.95 crore for the various schemes to be implemented under 13th Finance Commission respectively.
Badal asked the concerned MlAs to accord top priority to the needs of general masses to ensure funds must percolate at the grass roots level.
At the same time, Badal impressed upon people's representatives to ensure utmost transparency and accountability in utilisation of these funds so that these were spent judiciously for welfare and betterment of people of border and Kandi areas.
It was also decided in the meeting to earmark at least 10 per cent of these funds to provide 24-hour domestic power supply on urban pattern to the 'dhanis' consisting of minimum three households in the kandi and border areas.
Badal also asked the MlAs to prioritize works of drinking water, sewerage, and repair of hospitals, schools and colleges in their proposals for seeking funds under BADP and KADP.
Chief Minister also directed the Deputy Commissioners to get estimates of development works checked and verified thoroughly by an officer not below the rank of Superintending Engineer.
Responding to the demand of the MlAs of Kandi areas for launching the lift irrigation scheme instead of conventional tube wells, the Chief Minister asked the Secretary, Irrigation to explore the possibility of lift irrigation, drip and sprinkler in this low rainfall-zone so as to ensure adequate irrigation facilities to the farmers.