Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced infrastructure project worth Rs 113 crore for poll-bound Shahkot area besides another Rs 49 crore for Nakodar.
While the State Government claimed that the announcement—made by the Chief Minister during his visit to the region for distribution of debt waiver certificates to farmers—was a part of its development agenda for Jalandhar district, the impending by-poll to Shahkot assembly constituency which fall vacant after the demise of sitting SAD MlA and former minister Ajit Singh Kohar recently.
For Shahkot, the Government has allocated Rs 15 crore for a new Government Degree College at Sarangwal village, besides Rs 30 crore for special repair of 280 kilometres of link roads. Another Rs 20 crore has been set aside for development works in 232 villages of Shahkot, lohian and Mehatpur blocks, the Chief Minister announced.
In addition, a sum of Rs 11 crore has been assigned for the development of mandis (grain markets) to provide better facilities to the farmers in the procurements season, said the Chief Minister, also announcing Rs eight crore for bifurcation of 14 Multiple Village Water Supply Schemes.
Among other major projects for Sahkot are completion of Sewage Treatment at Shahkot (Rs 5 crore), new Bridge at Jakopur in lohian village (Rs 8.5 crore) and Flood Protection Works along Satluj River (Rs 4 crore).
The Chief Minister also announced a grant of Rs 4 crore for school infrastructure and an equal amount to Nagar Panchayat Shahkot, Nagar Panchayat Mehatpur and Nagar Panchayat lohian. He further disclosed that renovation of the Milk Chilling Centre at Shahkot will be undertaken at Rs 2.5 Crore.
For Nakodar, the grants announced by the Chief Minister include Rs 24 crore for repair of 289 Km of link Roads, Rs 9crore for development of 34 mandis, Rs 1 crore for widening of six bridges on rural roads and Rs 15 crore for repair of Pahgwara–Nakodar road.
Capt Amarinder reiterated his government’s commitment to bringing the state’s development back on track, and asserted that paucity of funds will not be allowed to hold back such works.