GLOBAL LINKING FOR THE KHALSA BIRTH PLACE DIRECT EXPRESSWAY
BETWEEN MOHALI AIRPORT AND SRI ANANDPUR SAHIB

ANANDPUR SAHIB MARCH 21:

Holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib and the surrounding region would now access the Mohali International Airport through a direct express highway from Chandigarh to Sri Anadpur Sahib via Siswana which would shorten the distance by approximately 30 KMs .

Addressing an unprecedented gathering of the devotees, on the historic occasion of annual Hola Mohalla festival on the 'birth place of Khalsa' here after paying obeisance at Gurdwara Takhat Sri Keshgarh Sahib, Punjab Chief Minister and Shiormani Akali Dal patron Mr.Parkash Singh Badal declared that Ropar would be given divisional Head Quarter status without any further delay. He clarified that the Cabinet had already cleared the proposal in this regard and the only issue to be decided was the demarcation of the areas to be included in the newly created division would also be sorted out soon.

The Chief Minister's announcement came in response to a fervent plea made to this fact by the Member Parliament and the Shiromani Akali Dal President Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal. The Chief Minister also conceded another major demand of the residents of Ropar for constructing a new high level bridge to replace 125 years old and narrow bridge over Sirhind Canal in Ropar city at a cost of Rs.8 crore, which had already out lived its life. The construction work would begin within next 45 days and be completed positively by November 2009. He also announced to construct another high level bridge at a cost of Rs.45 crore over river Satluj at Sarai Pattan thereby fulfilling the long pending demand of the area. Mr.Badal also promised to construct the proposed by-pass at Ropar to decongest the vehicular traffic in the city and pave an alternate smooth passage to the commuters. He said that a skill development centre would also be set up Sri Anadpur Sahib to impart training to the youth in vocational and specialized trades to improve their chances of employability.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that the concerted efforts of the SAD-BJP Government had resulted in securing a grant of Rs.97 crore for the overall development of the holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib besides the GoI had also approved the state government's proposal to extend the existing Sri Guru Singh Marg from Sri Anandpur Sahib to Talwandi Sabo to Sach Khand Takhat Sri Hazoor Sahib, Nanded in view of year long celebrations of Gurta-Gaddi Diwas.

On the religious agenda, Mr.Badal said that the prestigious Khalsa Heritage Complex which was initiated by him during the Tercentenary Khalsa Birth Celebrations in 1999 on the pattern of a religious monument in Israel which was conceptualized and designed by a world class architect would be completed within a year and dedicated to the people on Baisakhi, 2009.. He also said that the Dasmesh Martial Arts Academy which was established by his Government as a part of Khalsa Tercentenary Celebrations had been completed.

Blaming the Congress for 1984 riots, Mr.Badal said that none on this earth could forget this in human incident which exposed the much hyped 'secular image' of the party besides leaving a blot permanently. He also held Congress responsible for the meddling in the religious affairs of Sikhs and even criticized its role in the attack on Sri Harimandir Sahib and now a deliberate attempt to have a separate Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in Haryana. He said, "None could suppress the indomitable spirit of the Sikhs as this community had been blessed with unique quality of valour and courage by our great Gurus and is a part of our precious legacy".

Mr.Badal said that now it was the high time to alert Centre to shun its indifferent and apathetic attitude towards Punjab's farming community and industry which had been badly hit due to its step motherly treatment. Mr.Badal rued that government of India had recently announced the loan waiver package for the small and marginal farmers of the country which was nothing but a 'farce and misnomer of the millennium' as most of the farmers of Punjab would not be benefited due to the said loan waiver. He described it as an election stunt just to woo the voters. He however said that the Centre could not befool the people anymore because they were wise enough to comprehend the reality. 'Had Congress serious to the core the farming community of Punjab they 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 on it due to none remunerative and stagnant minimum support price for which Centre had always adopted an approach of 'negativism'. Our Government had been demanding the linking of MSP with consumer price index since long but Centre always turned down our plea without any rhyme or reason. He said that our farmer after exhausting even all its natural resources in terms of ground water and soil texture had contributed significantly towards the national food pool but what he got in return except penury, humiliation and depression which forced him into end his life by committing suicides.

Mr.Badal also pleaded that the indifferent attitude of Centre had forced the domestic industry to shift its base from Punjab to the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and J&K which had lured our industry for better incentives and concessions being provided by GoI.

In his address Member Parliament and President of the Shiromani Akali Dal Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the battle for seeking justice from Centre would continue till our demands were not accepted in toto. He promised to wage another battle for dissuading Centre to implement its arbitrary decision to ban the private companies to buy wheat from the farmers of Punjab. He also promised to secure an attractive MSP before the sowing of paddy in line with GoI's earlier decision taken in regard to an increase in the MSP of wheat to Rs.1000 per quintal. He said that we would continue our struggle to get further hike in the MSP of wheat to Rs.1400 per quintal as the Centre was exporting wheat from Australia higher than the fixed MSP to the tune of Rs.1600 per quintal.

Unfolding the plans for over all development and progress in the state, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Punjab would be transformed from a power deficit to power surplus state within next three years. He hoped that the day was not very far off when Punjab would be selling extra Power to the other states. 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.

Keeping in view of the historical importance of the holy city of Sri Anandpur Sahib, Mr.Sukhbir Singh Badal urged the Chief Minister to take up the matter with Ministry of Civil Aviation GoI for setting up of an Airport and flying school at Sri Anandpur Sahib.

Speaking on the occasion, SGPC President Mr.Avtar Singh complimented Mr.Badal for securing a special package of Rs.200 crore from Centre for the overall development of Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo. He requested Mr.Badal to develop Sri Anadpur Sahib as a world class religious tourist destination by creating an excellent infrastructure in the historic town.

Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Member Parliament from Hoshiarpur Mr.Avinash Rai Khanna, Finance Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh, MLA Anadpur Sahib Sant Ajit Singh, Mr.Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Prof.Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr.Balwinder Singh Bhunder (all General Secretaries of SAD), Vice President Gurdev Singh Badal and ex-Minister & Distt President SAD Ropar Tara Singh Ladal. Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr.Harcharan Bains, Smt.Satwant Kaur Sandhu, Ex-Minister, former MP Satwinder Kaur Dhaliwal besides the senior leaders and party workers of SAD-BJP were also present on the occasion

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BADAL ANNOUNCES THE SETTING UP OF COUNTRY'S FIRST POLICE UNIVERSITY
AT PHILLAUR

Phillaur(Jalandhar) March 21:

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today announced the setting up the country's first Police University in the State. The University would be set up at the site of Punjab Police Academy , Phillaur and would be named after Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

Mr. Badal was addressing the galaxy of Punjab Police personnel and their families during Annual Passing out Parade at Punjab Police Academy here. Mr. Badal said that modalities regarding the setting up of this University would be charted out within next two months. While congratulating all the officers and the Police Jawans for passing out their Academy Training Courses, Mr. Badal called upon them to perform their duties with utmost dedication, respecting the rule of law and be a symbol of security to the people. He further said that police should command the people's respect rather then creating fear in their minds.

Lauding the role of Police Academy Phillaur in running various training courses and organizing state level seminars, Chief Minister said that this academy had distinction of being the first police training institution in Asia to impart the study of MA, M.Phil and PhD levels in the discipline of Police Administration. Considering the demands put forth by Mr. Rajdeep Singh Gill, DGP-cum-Director, Punjab Police Academy Phillaur Mr. Badal announced that as many as 21 law officer would be appointed soon in the Academy to strengthen the Faculty of Law and special incentives would also be provided to the officers of the Punjab Police Academy Phillaur on the pattern of Vallabh Bhai Patel Police Academy Hyderabad.

The Chief Minister further announced that Rs.2 Crore would be provided for the infrastructural development of the police academy, beside a grant of Rs. 25 lac from his discretionary fund for the development of Maharaja Ranjit Singh Police Public School , Phillaur. Mr. Badal also authorised the Director, Police Academy to arrange subject experts from the country as well as from abroad to impart high quality training to our police personnel as it was the need of the hour today.

In his report DGP-cum-Director Punjab Police Academy Mr. R. S. Gill emphasized the need to sensitize police personnel about issues related to Human Rights, Cyber Crime, Economic offences, Crimes against women, children and other vulnerable sections of the society. He said that Academy was regularly organizing State level Debates on Human Rights and now had approached the National Human Rights Commission for hosting the first ever National level Debate Competition on 'Human Rights and Police' in the Academy. Mr. Gill further informed that another State level Training Programme on 'Copy Right Act' had also been organized in which Sessions Judges and District Attorneys participated.

Later, talking with media persons Mr. Badal said that Punjab was the most peaceful state in the country.

Earlier Mr. Badal took salute from an impressive march-past of 1483 trainees of various basic and promotional courses who were passing out this year under the parade commander Probationary Lt. Yeshay T. Phuntsho of Bhutan . It may be mentioned here that these trainees belong to different states of India as well as other countries like Bhutan and Maldives . The Chief Minister also gave away prizes to those trainees who got distinction in different activities during the training. Besides, the Chief Minister also presented four President's Police Medals for Distinguished Service to Mr. Anil Kaushik ADGP, Security, Punjab, Mr. Shashi Kant, ADGP Intelligence, Punjab , Mr. Paramjit Singh Gill, DIG-Patiala Range; Mr. Jagdish Singh Kahlon, SP-Detective, Ferozepur, and twenty eight Police Medals for Meritorious Service to Mr. Gurdev Singh Sahota, IGP/PAP Jalandhar; Mr. Parampal Singh Sidhu, DIG/Border Range, Amritsar, Mr. H.S. Sidhu, DIG/Admn., Punjab, Mr. Gaurav Yadav, DIG/Intelligence, Punjab, Mr. Kuldeep Singh, DIG/Training, PAP Jalandhar, Mr. Lashkar Singh, SP, Detective, Moga, Lady Inspr. Ms. Mohinder Kaur, Inspr. Gurdeep Singh, Inspr. Gurjit Singh, SI Brahma Nand, SI Kulwant Singh, SI Sarabjit Paul, SI Lal Mohammad, SI Inder Paul, SI Gian Singh, SI Bachittar Singh, SI Dharam Singh SI Sewak Singh, SI Sukhwinder Singh, ASI Major Singh, ASI Vijay Paul, ASI Daljit Singh, ASI Rajwinder Kaur, ASI Sukhwinder Singh, HC Joginder Ram, HC Karaj Singh, HC Buta Singh and HC(ORP) Joginder Paul.

Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Media Advisor to the Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Harcharan Bains, Senior Akali Leader Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhundar and Director General of Police NPS Aulakh, besides many senior police and civil officers.