Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday brushed aside media reports about the concern shown by the state BJP leadership on law and order situation in its core committee meeting.
Punjab was the most peaceful State in the country, said Badal categorically, while talking to the mediapersons on the sidelines of his Sangat Darshan programme on the second day in Nakodar assembly constituency.
He said that the law and order situation was absolutely fine barring few petty incidents of crime, which was a common phenomenon and occurred almost in every state of the country.
“However, I am personally monitoring the law and order situation on day-to-day basis in the state and have already issued clear cut instructions to the top brass of the police to ensure security and safety of every citizen of the state,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that he was being updated regularly by the state DGP on the current scenario of law and order. He emphatically said that peace, harmony and brotherhood were on the top of his government’s agenda.
Asked to comment on the possibility of revival of terrorism in the state especially in the wake of recent arrest of two militants, the Chief Minister outrightly ruled out any such possibility saying that terrorism could never be revived without the support of people.
Regarding the resumption of work on Bist Doab Canal project, Badal said that the Punjab and Haryana High Court has vacated the stay granted by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) restraining Punjab from cutting any tree for infrastructure without its permission.
“The recent decision of the High Court has paved a way to restart work on this prestigious project at a cost of Rs 1000 crore in full swing to ensure flow of water in the canal from July 1,” he said.
On Government’s Bhagat Puran Singh Health Insurance Scheme, Badal said that the scheme was by and large very successful barring few teething problems in its initial stage, which would be gradually resolved. “The state government has already started a helpline 104 to help the beneficiaries of this scheme or to redress their complaints, if any,” he added.