Dera Bassi (Punjab), Mar 29 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said that his party will form the next government in Punjab and turn the Mohali-Zirakpur-Dera Bassi-New Chandigarh-Kharar belt into a financial hub, like Mumbai and Gurugram.
Addressing a rally here, Badal said, “We will create an IT hub in this area besides bringing in tourism projects and establishing an industrial hub in Dera Bassi.” “The entire area would be linked with a metro rail system besides upgradation of the road infrastructure and establishment of world-class solid waste management systems,” he said.
He also detailed how the previous SAD government had put Mohali “on the world map by establishing an international airport, and that the party was committed to taking it to the next level post 2027 (if SAD comes to power)”.
According to a party statement, Badal also spoke on how the AAP and the Congress had earlier teamed up to support each other in local body elections, making it clear that they would jointly contest the 2027 Assembly election.
Alleging that both these parties were responsible for taking Punjab back by decades, Badal said, “I’m confident they (people) will shun both these Delhi-based parties and vote and support their own regional party – the SAD.” Badal also took on AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly lying that welfare schemes of Bhagwant Mann would be stopped if anyone except the AAP came to power in 2027.
“Everyone knows that all welfare schemes currently running in Punjab were started by the SAD. AAP has, in fact, either scrapped or drastically reduced benefits under various schemes, including old age pension, Aata-Dal, Shagun and SC scholarship,” the SAD president said.
The SAD president also agreed to take up the issues raised by his party’s senior leader N K Sharma, after the party comes to power.
Sharma, who spoke before Badal at the event, spoke about establishing a hospital at Zirakpur, providing canal water for drinking purposes, creating a tourist attraction in Chhatbir, making Handesra a sub-Tehsil and establishing a Girls College at Lalru.
“N K Sharma will be given the finance portfolio in the next SAD government,” Badal said.
Speaking about his vision for Punjab, Badal said tubewell connections would be given to all farmers who were bereft of this facility, in addition to power for twelve hours during daytime.
If SAD comes to power in Punjab, Badal said that a World Skill University would be established, which would skill one lakh youth every year and would have centres in each district.
He also said a Rs 10 lakh interest-free loan would be offered to youth, while education would be provided free of cost till the graduation level, and a 75 per cent subsidy would be given to youth setting up livestock farms, including dairy and poultry farms. PTI SUN AMJ AMJ
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