Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday made it clear that a decision on any electoral alliance in the state for 2019 lok Sabha elections would be taken by the Congress high command at an appropriate time.
Chief Minister’s assertion came in reaction to a media query about the possibility of a poll alliance on the lines of the one forged by Samajwadi Party with BSP and Congress in Uttar Pradesh.
“Any decision in this regard would be taken by the party’s central leadership,” said Capt Amarinder while talking to the media-persons on the sidelines of the entrepreneurship and innovation convention.
Capt Amarinder, in response to another question, hinted at a new Sports Minister being appointed in the state’s cabinet expansion, which is expected to take place soon. The new Sports Policy would be finalized thereafter, he added.
At the same time, he also congratulated international shooter Heena Sidhu for winning a Gold Medal during the ongoing Commonwealth Games, saying that she had made every Punjabi proud and assured her of all government support to further her sports career.
Asked about the reported illegal mining taking place in Patiala during the night time, Capt Amarinder promised a thorough investigation and action.
He made it clear that he would not allow illegal mining to continue in the state and pointed out that he had already issued stringent directives to the police and the concerned administrative departments to crack down against all such activities taking place in any part of the state.
CAPT ANNOUNCES Rs 1 CR GRANT FOR TUBEWEllS
To ensure clean and safe potable water, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday announced a development grant of Rs one crore for the installation of tubewells in Patiala city.
The amount is in addition to Rs 32 crore already sanctioned to Patiala Municipal Corporation for various development works, he said, while reviewing the progress of various ongoing projects in the city with the Municipal councillors.
Notably, the Chief Minister had earlier also announced Rs 100 crore for various development projects in Patiala city.
During the meeting, Capt Amarinder flayed the erstwhile SAD-BJP government for deliberately neglecting the development of Patiala for political reasons.
Referring to his government’s proposal to provide potable canal-based drinking water in the four corporation towns of Patiala, Amritsar, ludhiana and Jalandhar, Capt Amarinder said that for Patiala, his government had already formulated a detailed project for supply Canal-based drinking water, at a cost of Rs 782 crore.
A meeting would soon be held with the Union Urban Development Ministry to finalize the modalities, he added.