LARGEST EVER ROAD NET WORK IN PUNJAB TAKES
OFF
LUDHIANA- MALERKOTLA- SANGRUR LINKED WITH EXPRESS WAY.
CM KICK STARTS PROJECT WORTH RS 3000 CRORE
CHANDIGARH, JULY 31, 2008
Road infrastructure in Punjab is all set for a transformation
through new express ways, state highways and modernization of
existing key linkages along global standards. The ambitious initiative
with an out lay of Rs 3000 crore was kick started with the laying
of foundation stone of Ludhiana – Malerkotla- Sangrur 4
lane express way by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh
Badal at Malerkotla this morning. This segment alone stretching
about 72 km would cost Rs 226 crore, according to Media Advisor
to Chief Minister Mr. H S Bains.
Addressing a well-attended function on this occasion, the Chief
Minister said that the SAD-BJP Government had planned a network
of Greenfield Express Ways in addition to upgradation of the existing
infrastructure. "The scale of fiscal lay out for this initiative
is unprecedented in the history of the state and would well cross
the Rs 3000 crore mark presently envisaged", said Mr. Badal.
With the upgradation of this critical surface transport artery,
the travel time between these three major towns of the Punjab
would be reduced by a substantial 45 minutes, resulting in crucial
savings in terms of fuel and other attendant expenditures.
On this occasion Mr. Badal was accompanied by Senior Akali Leader
and Member Parliament Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and PWD Minister
Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa.
It may be recalled that World Class Super Express Highway connecting
the Mohali International Airport with Jalandhar and Amritsar via
Phagwara is all set to start very shortly and is expected not
only to showcase Punjab new surface transport dynamism, but also
to open up an entire new belt for economic boom. A similar Super
Express Highway would also role between Mohali International Airport
and the Industrial hub in Baddi (Himachal Pradesh).
This road Project has been divided into two phases. Under Phase
I the civil works on 700 kms of plan road length is underway.
The physical works comprise of about 150 km of Upgradation (3
Works) , 200 km of rehabilitation (6 Works) and 350 km of periodic
maintenance (10 Works) . Out of these works under Periodic Maintenance
have been successfully completed and the Rehabilitation and Upgradation
works are currently in the execution stage. Major works in this
phase involving widening to 4 lane or 2 lane with paved shoulders
are Ludhiana-Malerkotla-Sangrur Road (project cost of Rs. 226
crores and four laning length of 40 kms) and Kharar-Banur-Tepla
Road (Length 40 km, project cost of Rs. 109 crores and four laning
length of 9 kms).
Other important corridors which involve 2 laning with 1.5m gravel
shoulders and an overlay of 40 mm Bituminous Concrete are the
rehabilitation works comprising of Kapurthala-Tarn Taran-Attari
Chabal Road (Length 88 kms, completion of Tarn Taran Attari Chabal
stretch of road by Dec, 2008 and the rest by mid 2009), Phillaur
Nagar-Aur-Rahon Road (Length 33 kms and target completion date
of mid 2009), Ferozepur-Zira-Dharamkot Road (Length 60 kms and
target completion date of mid 2009) and Chandigarh-Sirhind-Patiala
Road (length 65 kms and completion of Sirhind Patiala section
by year end and the rest by mid 2009).
Phase II of the project would comprise of network management
of about 650 km of roads to be taken under Output & Performance
Based Road Contracting (OPRC). This is new form of contracting
in which the payments to the contractor shall be made based upon
the performance of the road instead of the quantity of work executed.
The roads under this pilot shall primarily be from southern part
of Punjab comprising of Sangrur, Bathinda, Mansa and Barnala districts.
The consultancy agreement for OPRC has been signed and the works
under this phase are likely to start by mid 2009.
Meanwhile replying to a question of a media person the Chief
Minister said that in case of any irregularity in Wakf Board's
funds was brought to the government's notice, the matter would
be thoroughly investigated.
Replying to an other question on the levy of toll tax, Mr. Badal
said that it was the gift given by the previous congress government,
as the provision of this toll tax was an integral part of the
tenders flouted by the last government for inviting bids from
the executive agencies. Asked to clarify the state government's
stand on federalism, Mr. Badal said that our party SAD had been
a votary of true federalism and always advocated that the states
should be given more autonomy, so that they could implement the
development programs as per the needs of the people.
RETIRED PUNJAB IAS OFFICER GPS SAHI BEREAVED
Chandigarh, July 31 2008, 2008
Pushpajeet Sahi, wife of former IAS Officer GPS Sahi passed away
here today after a protracted illness. 61 year old Mrs. Sahi had
recently retired from the Indian Revenue Service after having
served in important senior positions, including Chief Commissioner,
Income Tax. She had also served as Deputy Director (Administration)
in PGI, Chandigarh.
Her cremation in Chandigarh was attended this evening by a large
number of distinguished personalities, including political leaders,
serving and retired civil servants, members of the legal fraternity,
doctors and other dignitaries. Punjab Chief Secretary RI Singh
and President of Punjab IAS Officers Association Tejinder Kaur
were among those who were present on the occasion.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal expressed his deep
condolences to the bereaved family at the untimely demised of
Mrs. Sahi.
BADAL PAYS GLORIOUS TRIBUTES TO SHAHEED
UDHAM SINGH CALLS FOR OUSTER OF CONGRESS TO INSTALL NDA GOVERNMENT
AT CENTRE
CHANDIGARH, JULY 31, 2008
Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today virtually
sounded a bugle for the next Parliamentary elections and appealed
the people to get ready to oust Congress in order to pave a way
for the BJP led National Democratic Alliance government at Centre
for seeking justice and equity for the long pending demands of
the state be it economic, agriculture, industry, inter-state issues
etc. which had been blatantly ignored by the Congress for its
apathetic attitude prejudicial towards the legitimate rights of
the state.
Addressing a massive gathering at State level function held at
sunam grain market after paying the floral tributes to Shaheed
Udham Singh, Mr. Badal said that the people of Punjab had lot
of expectations from the UPA government but they were completely
dejected due to the step motherly treatment meted out to our state
despite the Punjabi Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the helm
of affairs. Clarifying SAD's stand on casting a trust vote against
UPA government, Mr. Badal said that it was a unanimous decision
taken at the party level based on strong convictions that how
the state was subjected to sheer discrimination by the Centre
at all fronts. He cited the example how Punjab was completely
ignored in the Centre's debt waiver scheme of Rs.71000 crore where
it could managed to get just 1% and likewise hardly 1% was allotted
to the state out of Central grant of Rs.3125 crore earmarked for
the development of agriculture in all the states despite our significant
contributions of 60% of food grain in the national pool. Similarly
the state had been denied its due share in the Central government
schemes of Pardhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana and Rajiv Gandhi
Vidhutikaran Yojana due to the stringent conditions laid down
by the GoI. He said: "It is all done deliberately to keep
Punjab out of these schemes by stipulating hard parameters because
the state had already laid a network of link roads in villages
and rural electrification way back in seventies. It implies that
the growth and development achieved by us at our expanse has today
become an impediment in our way for seeking additional grants
and funds for centrally sponsored schemes".
On agriculture front, Mr. Badal pleaded that states should not
beg for remunerative MSP for the crops rather Centre should evolve
a permanent solution either linking it with the consumer price
index or MSP should be equal to the cost of production plus 50%
as recommended by an eminent farm economist Dr.MS Swaminathan.
'Had Congress serious to the core the farming community of Punjab
had not been pushed deep into the vicious circle of debt trap',
said Mr.Badal. He said that agriculture was no more a profitable
occupation due to the negligible returns out of it due to non
remunerative and stagnant minimum support price (MSP) for which
Centre had always adopted an approach of 'negativism'. He said
that our farmers even after exhausting all its natural resources
in terms of ground water and soil texture had contributed significantly
towards the national food pool but what we got in return except
penury, humiliation and depression which had forced our farmers
to end their lives by committing suicides.
Admiring the role of Punjabis in the freedom struggle, Mr. Badal
said that Punjabis have not only played a vanguard role in the
Indian Independence movement but also made outstanding contribution
for maintaining the hard earned freedom and ushering an era of
overall development of the State. He said that it was the pious
duty of everyone to nurture the feeling of nationalism amongst
our youth through the commemoration of such occasions in a befitting
manner by paying homage to the great warriors and patriots like
Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Shaheed Udham Singh. He appealed to the
younger generation to draw inspiration and the spirit of patriotism
and nationalism from the supreme sacrifices made by our great
martyrs during the freedom struggle of India.
While unveiling a life size statue of Shaheed Udham Singh here
at ITI Chowk, Mr. Badal said that it was our bounden duty to construct
such monuments in the memory of our martyrs who made supreme sacrifices
to liberate our country from the clutches of imperialism and colonialism
and inspired the future generations with the values of patriotism
and nationalism. It may be recalled that this statue had been
got installed by the State Information & Public Relations
department at a cost of Rs.18 lakh.
Unfolding the plans for over all round development and progress
in the state, Mr. Badal said that Punjab would be transformed
from a power deficit to power surplus state within next four years.
He mentioned that three new thermal plants at Rajpura, Mansa,
Goindwal Sahib and Giddherbaha would be set up in the state to
overcome the shortage of power supply in the state. He hoped that
the day was not very far off when Punjab would be selling extra
Power to the other states. He said that as on today our State
was short of 30% of power and would soon augment the power supply
in a phased manner. He said Once Punjab becomes self reliant in
power consequently it would kick of industrialization at a quicker
pace. Mr. Badal categorically said that industrialization was
the only answer to get rid of state's stagnated economy because
agriculture had already reached a point of saturation. The rural
road network was also being strengthened with 7200 KMs of link
roads at a cost of Rs.450 crore. He said that the state Irrigation
and Drainage Department had undertaken a massive programme at
a cost of Rs.3200 crore for the de-silting and lining of the canals
and water courses to enhance the intake capacity of water for
irrigation purposes by atleast 30% especially at the tail ends
in the Malwa region.
On the occasion the Chief Minister honoured the lineal decedents
of Shaheed Udham Singh and announced a grant of Rs.13.5 crore
for the provision of drinking water and sewerage facility for
the Sunam town. He also declared that Sunam has been included
as one of 6 major towns in the state for the upgradation of civic
infrastructure by the local government department.
Speaking on the occasion, Member Parliament and Secretary General
Shiromani Akali Dal Mr. Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said that the history
of Indian freedom movement was replete with saga of numerous sacrifices
made by the unsung heroes from time immemorial during the national
freedom struggle but we had a short memory and seldom remember
our freedom fighters who laid down their lives for achieving the
ultimate goal of Independence. He urged the Chief Minister to
establish contacts with the wards of Shaheed Udham Singh who were
reportedly living in United States through the Ministry of External
Affairs GoI to bring them back in Punjab to suitably honour them.
The whereabouts and the antecedents of the progeny of Shaheed
Udham Singh were established on the basis of research conducted
by local based Prof.Sikandar Singh.
National General Secretary of BJP Balbir Punj said that the real
tribute to the great Martyr Udham Singh would be to implement
the change in name of Sunam to Sunam Udham Singh Wala in the right
earnest to which a notification had already been issued by the
GoI.
Meanwhile, Local Government Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia also
paid glorious tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh and said that their
unparalleled sacrifices of great patriots like Shaheed Bhagat
Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev would ever act as a source of inspiration
for our youth to serve their motherland. He emphasized the need
to rewrite the history of India in the Indian context because
the present Indian history had a impact of British. To substantiate
his claim he cited a classic example of war of mutiny of 1857
as mentioned by Britishers in the Indian history where as it was
the first war of independence from the India's point of view.
Earlier, in his welcome address local MLA and PWD (B&R) Minister
Parminder Singh Dhindsa also paid glowing tributes to Shaheed
Udham Singh and described him a great martyr. He profusely thanked
Mr. Badal for the installation of statue of great son of Punjab
thereby acceding to the long pending demand of the region. He
also mentioned that the design and the pattern of the statue had
been approved by the Committee based on the documentary references
from Archives Museum, Amritsar.
Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included General
Secretary BJP State Unit Kamal Sharma, Gobind Singh Kanjla and
Gobind Singh Longowal (both ex-Ministers), Senior leader Indian
National Lok Dal Ajay Chautala, Vice President SAD Parkash Chand
Garg, Ex Adminstrative Member PSEB Gurbachan Singh Bhattiwal,
Ex-Member SGPC Tek Singh Dhanula and senior leadership and party
workers of SAD-BJP besides the members of the SGPC were also attended
the function.
City Bus Services to be
launched From Jalandhar by Mid- August- Kalia
Chandigarh, July 31, 2008
Naginder Singh
Keeping in view to provide better Local Bus Services to commuters
Punjab Government would launch Pilot project of city bus service
from Jalandhar by mid-August.
Disclosing this here today Mr. Manoranjan Kalia, Local Government
Minister Punjab said that the pilot project was being implemented
under a sustainable public-private partnership (PPP). He said
Jalandhar was all set to have a fleet of 16 Buses which would
cover four routes.
Mr. Kalia said that buses to be inducted would be pre-fabricated
modern, high quality, low floor with wide doors to make boarding
easier for children and the elderly. The buses would have seating
capacity of 40 commuters and equal number of those standing.
Mr. Kalia further stated that for the convenience of passengers,
about 120 good quality stainless steel bus-queue shelters have
been planned in Jalandhar and were in advanced stage of completion.
These shelters would be fitted with modern features like online
Global Positioning System (GPS) which would provide information
to waiting passengers regarding the exact time of arrival of the
bus. Each shelter would cost about Rs. 10 laks which would generate
revenue to the tune of Rs. 10,000 per month from advertisements.
Besides this Mr. Kalia said that modern hand-held electronic
ticketing machines would also be linked to data-centre to monitor
the rush and inflow of cash. After Jalandhar city bus service
scheme would be launched in Ludhiana and Amritsar districts also.
Mjithia lambasted on Bhattal
for Issuing Provocative Statement
Chandigarh, July 31, 2008
Reacting sharply to the provocative statement of Punjab Pardesh
Congress President and leader of opposition Mrs. Rajinder Kaur
Bhattal in the assembly regarding the apprehensions of revival
of terrorism in the State during the regime of SAD/BJP alliance,
Mr. Bikram Singh, Majithia, Information and Public Relations Minister
Punjab, & Patron of Youth Akali Dal, said that Mrs. Bhattal
should check the records before issuing such irresponsible statements
which could jeopardize the hard earned peace in the State.
In a Statement issued here today Mr. Majithia said that Mrs.
Bhattal should realize that her Congress party was the mother
of terrorism in the State.
He said," out burst of Mrs Bhattal was clearly understandable
because she and her Congress party had faced debacle after debacle
in the last assembly elections than consequently in corporations,
Block Samities and Zila parishads, Panchayat and recently in Muncipal
Committees which has led to utter despair and frustration in the
rank and file of the Congress party".
Mr. Majithia categorically stated that the Congress was bereft
of any Political agenda and they were now indulging in mud slinging
and casting aspersion on the superb performance of SAD/BJP Government
in the State.
Citing another reason to the growing desperation day in and
day out Mr. Majithia said that Congress was almost sure of its
crushing defeat at the hands of SAD/BJP alliance in the ensuring
Parliamentary Elections.
He advised Mrs. Bhattal to instead of casting derogatory remarks
on the credentials of the party like SAD which had always stood
solidly against the divisive and antinational forces in an Endeavour
to maintain the communal harmony peace and brotherhood in the
State.
Mr. Majithia further asked Mrs. Bhattal to set her own house
in order rather accusing Akalies for their (Congress) follies,
with a deliberate attempt to tarnish the Sanguine image of the
SAD.
"It is on the record that whenever SAD/BJP alliance Government
came into power the State witnessed unprecedented Development
on the Contrary the Congress Party always pushed the State at
the brink of economic backwardness due to their wrong policies
and vested interests.
Mr. Majithia said that Mrs. Bhattal by issuing such Statements
could not befool the people of Punjab any more because now they
were wise enough who was the perpetrator of the terrorism in the
State/Congress or Akalies.