Taking a dig at Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for questioning Congress Government’s achievements between 2002 and 2007, former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday asked him to list his, if he has any, except for pushing the State into bankruptcy and drug addiction. Capt Amarinder, reacting to Sukhbir’s challenge to Congress MlAs during recently concluded Budget session in Vidhan Sabha to list any achievements, said that he had earlier also provided him with scores of achievements and he was listing these again as a reminder.
To begin with, the Congress Deputy leader in lok Sabha said: “One of the important achievements of my Government was to generate revenue surplus of over Rs2,000 crores in 2006-07, which was for the first and last time during last 30 years. It has happened after 20 years. And once I demitted office, the State was again pushed to revenue deficit which is most likely to cross Rs8,000 crores by the end of the current fiscal.”
Capt Amarinder reminded Sukhbir that it was his Government that had enacted Punjab Termination of Water Sharing Agreements-2005, ensured hassle-free procurement of food-grains, introduced BT Cotton, set up Punjab Farmers’ Commission, brought in many private players to encourage diversification and introduced farm-to-fork concept. “Tell me what you have done on the agriculture frontIJ” he asked.
“Our Government had sanctioned 367 mega projects with an estimated investment of more than Rsone lakh crores with job prospects for more than 13 lakh people. On the power front, our Government ensured regular and un-interrupted power supply for right hours to farmers, decided to commission lehra Mohabbat Plant Stage III to get 500 MW power, which stands commissioned now,” he said.
Similarly, it was during his Government that 168 MW Shahpur Kandi Project was started and for which, entire budget was provided by the Centre, he said adding that Implementation Agreement was signed for 500 MW power plant at Goindwal Sahib. Capt Amarinder said that it was Congress Government’s decision to set up power projects, one at Nabha, which has now been shifted to Rajpura, and second at Talwandi Sabo.