Ajnala, Sep 21 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday warned that a return of the traditional opposition parties to power would put the state’s welfare schemes, public institutions and water rights at risk, saying their priorities have already been “exposed” before the people.
During a ‘Lok Milni’ programme in Sansra village here, Mann said the opposition would stop free electricity, free bus travel for women and Rs 1,000 ‘Samman Rashi’, while Mohalla Clinics and government schools would be weakened to promote private institutions.
The chief minister claimed that the BJP would give Punjab’s share of water to Haryana and Rajasthan, and also seek to separate Chandigarh and the Panjab University from Punjab, while the Akali Dal had been reduced to bringing daily wage workers to its rallies.
Contrasting this with his government’s record, he highlighted zero electricity bills for 90 per cent of households, the purchase of the Goindwal Sahib private thermal power plant, an increase in canal water utilisation from 22 per cent to 88 per cent, 14,000 kilometres of underground pipelines and major improvements in government schools, saying the government’s sole focus was to provide facilities to every family and build a prosperous ‘Rangla Punjab’.
Mann said on September 15, six states — Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi — signed an agreement to take forward the Kishau Multipurpose Project, but Punjab was not included.
“Agreements are being made between Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and other states, but Punjab is not even invited. Why is Punjab being treated as an outsider when the question concerns the water resources of this region?” he asked.
“The BJP wants to decide the distribution of water while keeping Punjab out of the discussion. The people of Punjab have taken note of this step-motherly treatment,” he said.
Punjab cannot be expected to remain silent when decisions affecting its interests are taken without it, said Mann.
Our government will fight every issue concerning Punjab with determination and will not compromise on the rights and interests of the state, he said.
The Kishau project envisages the construction of a 232.6-metre-high concrete gravity dam on the Tons River, which flows along the Uttarakhand-Himachal Pradesh border, with a water storage capacity of 1,562 million cubic metres.
Highlighting the government’s work, Mann spoke about providing 300 units of free electricity every month, bringing “substantial” relief to households across Punjab.
“We have also worked extensively in the water sector and substantially increased the utilisation of available water resources,” he said.
Aiming at the Badal family and the Akali Dal, Mann said, “The people of Punjab have witnessed their political decline. Previous governments failed to work in the larger interests of Punjab, and political power was used for personal and family interests.” Targeting the Congress, he said in the rival party, everyone wants to become chief minister, but first they should count how many seats they have. PTI CHS KSS KSS
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