Special economic package by PM to Bihar makes Punjab CM jittery

CHANDIGARH: The Special Economic package for Bihar announced by Prime Minister Narender Modi has caused hurt burn to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. He has joined the issue by expressing his displeasure for not giving spceial economic package to the Punjab which served the nation most and also sufferreed the most. “Punjab deserved this package the most in the country”,he told media persons at Beedowali village in Mukatsar district today.
Chief Minister who was here to hold Sangat Darsham, his mass contact programme, grudged that successive Congress governments at the centre didn’t recognised the vast contribution of the state. Though he din’t directly blamed the BJP led NDA government at center for continuing the discrimination with Punjab, he wisely pushed his concerns and demand for the special package. “We are not seeking any concession from the Union government but special economic package is our right “, added Mr Badal.
The Chief Minister said that he had flagged up this issue with the union government a number of times and now again he would vehemently plead for it. Badal said that he would personally take up this matter with the Government of India (GoI) so that Punjab could get a special package. He said that the state government would leave no stone unturned for getting the package for the state on lines of one given to Bihar.The Chief Minister said that instead of rewarding the state for its glorious contribution the Congress governments gave fatal blow to its economy by giving incentives to the neighbourly states that resulted in mass exodus of industry from the state. However, he said that it was the high time that Union government must take a call on this issue for giving a fillip to overall development of the state.Punjab is the state which has contributed enormously in national freedom struggle, making the country self reliant in food production, safeguarding the borders of country from external invasion and preserving its unity and integrity. However, he said that the state suffered a lot for national cause first during partition and then during the black days of militancy.Badal is heading an alliance government with BJP in Punjab. He was expecting that PM will bail out the state which is facing economic bankruptcy. Punjab has debt of about 1.5o lakh crores on it. The center governments led by Manmohan Singh Narender Modi had also refused to extend special industrial package given to neighbouring hilly states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Badal ahd written to Prime Minsiter several times to consider Punjab for special package. Prime Minister was scheduled to visit Anandpur Sahib in Punjab to attend a function to commemorate the 350th anniversary of the holy city. Badal was expecting some big announcements to be made by PM during his maiden visit after occupying the chair. However, Modi cancelled the visit at last minute. Modi is now expected to visit Punjab to inaugurate the international airport at Mohali. Badal is again hopeful of some economic relief from center.