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Punjab
June, 2008

 

PRIs Oath Taking Ceremony

BADAL BLOWS PARLIAMENTARY POLL BUGLE
TALKS OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF PRIs

LUDHIANA JUNE 5, 2008


Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal said today blew poll bugle for parliamentary elections in the country, saying "the winds of political change were sweeping in the country and the present Central regime was tottering on the brink of collapse. A complete panic and uncertainty has gripped the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners and anything can happen at any moment".

Mr. Badal was addressing a mammoth gathering at the state level oath taking ceremony of the members of Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis here today.

The Chief Minister declared that his government considered the political and economic empowerment of the Panchayati Raj System (PRIs) and civic bodies as the first pre-requisite for all round and inclusive development in the state. Mr. Badal said that the government would be guided by a grass root approach to the solution of people's problems without compromising the thrust towards the modernization of infrastructure, health and education.
"The top-down approach as a development model is not suited to a pre-dominantly rural economy like India. It is all the more irrelevant to a state like Punjab where agriculture is the major economic driver and over 70% population still lives in villages", said the Chief Minister.

He said that he was proud of the democratic heritage of the country.
"Dictatorship or princely regime (rajwarashahi) had no place in India and these systems were anti-people and unsuited to the requirements of development in a country of such vast heterogeneity as India", said the Chief Minister.

Extending felicitations to the newly elected representatives of Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis, Mr. Badal said that people of the state had reposed full faith in the progress, policies and programmes of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab. He said that it was now the onerous duty of the newly elected representatives to deliver with a responsive, transparent and development oriented approach to their tasks. He assured the members of the PRIs of immense power and all the requisite funds for development projects in their respective areas. He impressed upon them to oversee the various on going constructions works within their jurisdiction to ensure its quality and completion within a specific time frame. He said that they should not adopt a casual attitude towards the government works but should rather involve themselves to an extent of personal commitment.

Mr. Badal directed the Rural Development & Panchayat department to fully empower the panchayati raj system economically, socially and administratively as an inherent component of the cohesive democratic set up.
Showing deep concern over the plight of the farming and labour class, Mr. Badal held Centre solely responsible for its apathetic attitude towards the beleaguered peasantry. He said; "Punjab has surpassed the previous all time high records of procurement during this year by contributing 105 lac MT of wheat in the Central pool at a critical juncture when the GoI was apprehensive of food crisis in the country".
He said that the Centre had failed to fulfill its part of the job.

It should had compensated our farmers in return atleast by giving much higher MSP equalent to Rs.1600 per quintal the price on which it imported wheat from Australia last year. He said that our farmers had achieved this target of production by depleting their sources of ground water and soil texture.
Holding congress government squarely responsible for ignoring the development works in the state during its last regime, Mr. Badal said that the SAD-BJP government had embarked upon an ambitious programme to remodel the entire canal system at a cost of Rs.3500 crore to enhance the intake capacity of water by atleast 25% besides repairing the water channels, courses and distributaries. Likewise, he said that the state government had already made elaborate arrangements to make Punjab self reliant in power by doubling its power generations capacity from the present 6000 MW to nearly 12000 MW before 2012.

Later, Mr. Badal administered the oath of office and secrecy to as many as 2500 newly elected members of the Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samitis on the occasion.

In his address the Local Government & Industries Minister Manoranjan Kalia said that India was one of the largest and the strongest democracy in the world with a chequered history of over 60 years. He urged the newly elected members of PRIs to work with firm commitment and missionary zeal to fulfill the aspirations of the people with in the ambit of SAD-BJP's development agenda.

In his welcome addressing Rural Development & Panchayat Minister Ranjit Singh Brahmpura asked the newly elected members of Zila Parshads and Panchayat Samitis to work whole-heartedly for the welfare of the people living in rural areas. He assured that there would be no paucity of funds for development and they would be fully equipped with the funds, functions and functionaries.

Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Forest Minister Tikshan Sood, Tourism Minster Hira Singh Gabria and Member Parliament Sharanjit Singh Dhillon. Other who were present on the occasion Revenue Minister Ajit Singh Kohra, Media Advisor to Chief Minister Harcharan Bains, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Harish Rai Dhanda, Mr.Darshan Singh Shivalik, Mr.Harish Bedi and Mr.Jagjivan Singh Khirania (all MLAs), Vice Chairman Punjab Traders Board Madan Lal Bagga, Senior Vice President of SAD Gurdev Singh Badal, General Secretary of SAD Maheshinder Singh Grewal, Ex-Minister Jagdish Singh Garcha, Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura, District President SAD Santa Singh Umaidpuri and senior leaders and party workers of SAD, BJP and members of SGPC.


DISBAND MATA VAISHNO DEVI SHRINE BOARD – HAVE ELECTED BODY ON SGPC PATTERN – TIKSHAN SUD

Chandigarh June 5, 2008

Senior BJP Leader & Medical Education Minister Mr. Tikshan Sud today demanded that President of India should immediately disband Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for hurting the feelings of crores of Hindus, by introducing class system to visit the holiest shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi. He said that Priority Darshan Fee introduced by the Board to provide priority Darshan of Mata Vaishno Devi to rich and elite was a cruel reminder of Zazia imposed by oppressive Aurangzeb on Hindus.

In a statement issued here today Mr. Sud said that J & K Governor General S.K. Sinha heading the Board was implementing the Vatican agenda to secure third extension as Governor by pleasing Italy born catholic UPA Chairperson and was making all efforts to reduce the ever increasing flow of pilgrims to Mata Vaishno Devi. He said that it was being done with complicity of Congress Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad.

Demanding the amendment in the Constitution of the Board to have elected body instead of present nominated Board, Mr. Sud said that Hindus all over the country should elect the Board on the pattern of SGPC. He said that since the Congress government has taken control of this Board, corruption, maladministration and nepotism was ruling the roost. He said that donation from pilgrims running into hundreds of crores was being siphoned out by handful persons controlling the Board and hardly any money was being spent on providing facilities to the pilgrims. He said that since last five years private shops have mushroomed on path way leading from Katra to Bhawan, fleecing the innocent pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi from all over India. He said that these illegal shopkeepers were paying "under the table" weekly money to the Board officials and J&K Government was mute spectator to this whole sordid affair.

Demanding the immediate intervention of President of India, Mr. Sood said that this Board should be made to rescind the controversial order with immediate effect and President should disband the Board immediately. He said that the President should also sack J&K Governor with immediate effect for hurting the feelings of crores of Hindus.


 

 

 

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