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November

 

Punjab in debt trap: Bhattal
would not have even money to pay salaries to its employees

Chandigarh, November 7

Opposition Leader in Punjab vidhan sabha and Ex C.M Bibi Rajinder Kaur Bhattal held SAD – BJP government responsible for the present financial crisis in the state. Alleging that Parkash Singh Badal led SAD-BJP government failed on every front even during its 20 month's of government. Bhattal further said that the state government was already facing an acute financial crisis and it would not have even money to pay salaries to its employees. "We left Rs 1,200 crore in state exchequer in the month of February. But now I have come to know that the government treasure has become empty due to alleged wrong policies of the state government," She added. The state is passing through an unprecedented financial crisis.

Yet the Chief Minister is seen spending lakhs of rupees on media publicity every day. SAD - BJP when in power never bothered about the welfare of Punjab. State was heading for a "grave financial crisis. The government is back on borrowing, "No developmental work is taking place in the present regime," Bibi Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said that Lok Sabha elections were rapidly approaching and people would definitely dethrone all of the constituents of NDA from power. We will definitely win all 13 Lok sabha seats in Punjab and once again UPA will be back in power. Bhattal expressed fear that the SAD-BJP alliance might resort to violence to win the Lok Sabha poll.


Come clean on Rajasansi International Airport

 

Ludhiana, November 06, 2008

All those mourning the loss of flights from Rajasansi International Airport need to do some introspection.

Why has Navjot Sidhu never taken an international flight from Amritsar?

Why has the Akali-BJP government not mandated its officers and ministers to fly internationally from Amritsar?

How much money has the Punjab Government spent on international flights from other cities that could have originated from Amritsar?

Why was one of the last NRI samelan functions held in Chandigarh when it should have been held at Amritsar with the NRI legislators and other guests flying directly in to Amritsar?

Why has this government not undertaken a single initiative to promote Amritsar airport?

Why has the additional land desperately required for Rajasansi airport not been acquired by the Punjab government to date, whilst during the same time the government has displayed a relentless fervour to acquire countless thousands of acres for dubious projects that may never see the light of day?

The fact is that there has been a deliberate attempt to make Rajasansi airport unviable to promote Chandigarh International airport and the interests of numerous vested interests that have acquired land around the Chandigarh airport, possibly the biggest land scam in the history of Punjab.

In reality the new roads being planned and / or built through Mohali are being routed to best serve the interests of new owners that have recently appeared on the scene.

There should be a CBI enquiry into land dealings around Chandigarh airport over the last 20 months.

Why did the Punjab government only reward farmers who owned land bordering Chandigarh at the rate of Rs.1.5 crores per acre whilst selling other land bordering Chandigarh to LIC for some Rs.50 crores per acre?

Today's rulers in Punjab have decided that it is far better and easier to make humungous gains from real estate in Punjab based on manipulating governmental decisions, primarily the routing of roads and the location of PIDB projects, than by collecting small bribes as they did during the last Akali government when even Rs. 50,000 bribes were welcome.

The only logical conclusion is that Rajasansi International airport has been deliberately undermined by this dishonest Akali-BJP government to promote Chandigarh Airport and the vested property interests in Mohali near the airport.

Jassi Khangura MLA
Halqa Qila Raipur
Ludhiana
Punjab
6 November 2008


How often have you flown internationally from Amritsar?

Ludhiana, Nov.04, 2008
Jassi Khangura MLA
Halqa Qila Raipur
Punjab

Mr Sukhbir Badal, MP
President SAD

04 November 2008

Dear Sukhbir,

How often have you flown internationally from Amritsar?

With the marked reduction and cancellation of international services from Amritsar’s Rajasansi International airport, Punjab’s aviation policy, of which you have been arch-promoter, lies in tatters.

Bikramjit Majitha, whilst lording over local Akali politicians and protesting yesterday against this matter, would be well advised to research how often the Badal family has patronised Amritsar airport for international travel.

During the term of this Government where have your numerous overseas visits originated from? Certainly not from Amritsar.

In this period you have not taken a single international flight from Amritsar, preferring Delhi and other metros.

Notwithstanding that Punjabi’s are yet to see a single development initiative arising from your numerous overseas visits, could your reluctance to fly from Amritsar have anything to do with the fact that until recently you were not a baptised Sikh and as such your conscience did not allow you to fly from Amritsar?

Or was this because you actually sought the demise of Amritsar airport to promote the forthcoming Chandigarh International airport, around which numerous vested Akali interests have acquired cheaply large tracts of land, partly by free market purchase but largely by coercion?

Whilst you claim to promote the interests of the whole of Punjab, your failure to fly internationally from Amritsar is further proof that closest to your heart are Mohali and Bhatinda.

Sadly, Punjab today is neither vibrant nor is it flying high. This Government piloting the affairs of Punjab will most certainly ensure a crash landing for Punjab’s economy, heavily indebted farmers and industry.

God help us.

Regards,

Jassi Khangura MLA


Tewari flays govt for failure to tackle dengue


Ludhiana, 03 Nov. 2008
Pawan Dewan


Secretary All India Congress Committee and National Spokesperson, Congress Party, Manish Tewari today lashed out at the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharitya Janata Party government for its failure to contain the spread of dengue in the city. Tewari also flayed the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for his oft repeated 'sangat darshans', which he said, instead of solving the problems of the people led to lot of harassment only. In a statement issued after an extensive tour of the city and the surrounding areas, Tewari said, he was shocked to learn that almost all the areas of the city had been trapped in the dengue which had assumed epidemic proportions. He said, the government had failed to respond to the situation and there was panic among the people.

Tewari pointed out, no measures were taken either for preventing the spread of the disease or providing any relief to the effected people. He said, even the hospitals were ill equipped. He disclosed that the facilities at the government hospitals were abysmally poor. He said, while the Chief Minister had tried to prove too generous and magnanimous for announcing free treatment for the dengue patients, but
there had not been any follow up action. "I would ask Mr Badal to tell the public that where should they go for the treatment of dengue where they would be treated for free?", Tewari asked, while adding, providing free treatment was too far, no basic treatment was available to the people.

The AICC spokesman cricitised Badal for his frequent sangat darshan programmes in the city which only led to too much of harassment to the general public. He said, these sangat darshans hardly serve any purpose except for leading to harassment to the people. He said, the entire administration comes to a standstill when Mr Badal is in the town and he is in the town too frequently. "I have been told and which I have myself confirmed, that the officials are not available in their offices for days together as they are deputed around Mr Badal who is too often in the city", he said, while appealing to Badal to have some pity on the people and the officials and keep away from Ludhaina for sometime now so that they can heave a sigh of relief.