Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh releases Rs. 211 cr for development works of state
Chandigarh, October 20: Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh with an aim to give a major boost to the development work in the state released a sum of Rs. 211 Crores and presented cheques worth Rs. 58 crores to 37 Urban Local Bodies i.e Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats.
On this occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh described the money as a `social cheque’ and directed all the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats to ensure that it is spent in a transparent manner. He also instructed the concerned officials to immediately start work on all pending development projects.
A spokesperson said after the event at which the cheques were handed over to the 37 ULBs that the Chief Minister assured that his government would ensure equitable expenditure, without indulging in any discrimination as was done by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government against the areas represented by the Congress.
Reiterating his personal commitment to improve the basic infrastructure in the state, Captain Amarinder said his government would do everything possible to provide the much-needed relief to the people of Punjab, who have been suffering over the past 10 years due to the ill-conceived policies of the previous government.
The Chief Minister disclosed that his government was in the process of arranging a loan of Rs. 1540 Crores for achieving 100% coverage of the water supply and sewerage system in the areas under the urban local bodies. The amount was expected to be released soon, he said, adding that the government was also expecting an additional grant of Rs 34.91 Crores to be released soon through PIDB.
Speaking on the occasion, Local Government Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu thanked the Chief Minister for the release of the development project fund, which he described as Captain Amarinder's Diwali gift to the people of Punjab. Projects worth Rs. 137 Crores and 125 respectively had been sanctioned for Ludhiana and Amritsar, he said, adding that development projects for Jalandhar would be announced within a week, he added.
Meanwhile, talking to media present at the cheque distribution ceremony, the Chief Minister said there was no question of him supporting Rana Gurjit as the Justice Narang Commission had cleared the Cabinet Minister of charges of corruption in the sand mine auctions. Regarding progress in the journalist KJ Singh murder case, he said the police were on the job and the culprits would be nabbed and brought to book. He also assured that those behind the murder of an RSS worker in Ludhiana would be caught soon.