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 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.
