With the State Government planning to hold civic body polls in December end, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday doled out development projects worth Rs 1000 crore for Patiala, in addition to 84,000 new job cards in the district under MNREGA.
As a part of government’s plan to announce major development projects for poll-bound cities, Capt Amarinder visited his home district to woo all sections.
With the addition of 84,000 new job cards in Patiala district under MNREGA, the total number would be 1.82 lakhs. “Our government has made a beginning and the next four and a half years would witness massive industrial and economic development in the state, notwithstanding the huge fiscal and revenue deficit inherited by his Government from the previous regime,” said Capt Amarinder while addressing a gathering.
Sharing details of some of the major investment plans and projects committed by top industrialists including Mukesh Ambani and the Hindujas, he said that the industrial development which his government was eyeing, and which some of the leading captains of industry from India and abroad had shown interest in, would lead to the revival of the state’s economy.
Citing his various meetings with top industrialists in Mumbai over the past two days, Capt Amarinder referred to the measures taken by his government to promote industry to generate employment and boost overall development in the state.
Capt Amarinder made a series of project announcements, paving way for holistic progress of Patiala, that he said had been completely sidelined in the development agenda of the erstwhile SAD-BJP government.
Besides Rs 700 crore surface drinking water supply scheme in Patiala, the Chief Minister announced allocation of Rs 38 crore for the completion of a project for conversion of Banur canal from non-perennial to perennial and Rs 12.50 crore for the construction of 250 houses for the homeless, at Rs 5 lakhs per house under the Shehri Awaas Yojna, whereby the state Government is providing free of cost homes for homeless people and subsidized houses for the economically weaker sections.
Rs 10 crore allocation has been made for the completion of the Aeronautical Engineering College, Patiala, the Chief Minister announced, adding that Rs 9.41 crore had been set aside for completion of various ongoing and outstanding projects under PIDB.
Describing Patiala as his birthplace, local Bodies and Tourism Minister Navjot Sidhu said that Capt Amarinder had always been concerned about the development of Patiala and, with the removal of the ‘jija-saala’ (Sukhbir Singh Badal-Bikram Singh Majithia) duo, the region would witness unprecedented development, with the canal water for drinking supply to be one of the biggest achievements.