Sukhbir Badal urges Punjabis worldwide to counter forces defaming the state and its people

Chandigarh : Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today urges Punjabis worldwide to rise above petty interests and counter the forces indulging in defaming and denigrating the image of state by dubbing the Punjab as bankrupt and Punjabis as drug addicts.
During a 90 minute power presentation in the people’s court at New Delhi today Mr Badal informed the opinion makers in the capital about the progress and development projects implemented by the Punjab government on this front as well as unmasking the conspiracy of vested interests who want to make political capital by slandering the State only to score brownie points in the media. Appealing the people to proud to be Punjabis and Sikhs, Deputy CM said that it was the Shiromani Akali Dal which had always struggled for the rights and interests of Punjabis and Sikhs either in India or abroad. He said Sikhs were being appreciated worldwide for their labourious nature and inducted as ministers in Canada government.Lamenting on the smearing campaign launched by the opponents on social media as well as national channels, SAD president said that these elements were acting on the behest of forces inimical to the Punjab which was heralding into a new era of inclusive development in all sectors.
He said the idea of presenting the right picture of Punjab arose in his mind after multi national companies desirous of investing in the State, started querying about the extent of drug addiction in Punjab when I visited Mumbai. “I then realized that repeated wrong perceptions created by some ill informed political leaders had been twisted by the media and Punjab was being projected as a State facing a serious crisis of drug addiction”, said Mr Badal.
Addressing the gathering Mr. Badal said that we should not let anyone to defame Punjab and Punjabis as in reality we were putting new milestones in the field of prosperity, growth, development and progress. Furnishing real facts about growth story of Punjab in different fields during his presentation Mr. Badal informed that during Congress regime from 2002 to 2007 the gross VAT collection was Rs. 19,960 crore, which witnessed a significant increase to Rs. 44,209 crore in SAD-BJP alliance rule from 2007-12 with further increase in the existing rule of alliance to Rs. 62,706 crore till date.Detailing about the state excise from 2002 to 2007 of Congress regime which was Rs. 7,314 crore recorded 10,900 crore in the first tenure of SAD-BJP alliance while in the existing term of alliance the figure has touched Rs. 16,448 crore till date. Mr. Badal said that state’s own revenue receipts were Rs. 36,808 crore in Congress regime which had touched Rs. 68,757 crore in alliance rule till 2012 and now it has reached to Rs. 99,741 crore.Giving details of performance of states in own tax revenue, Mr. Badal said Punjab stands better than various states with 8.1 percent of GSDP while Karnatka remains top in the tally with 10.0 percent. He said Punjab has performed well in revenue deficit as of GSDP whereas in State Gross Domestic Product Punjab’s share in GDP 3.23 percent with Rs. 5,04,937 between 2002 and 2007 in congress regime while the figure has touched Rs. 13,51,348 crore as yet.
Expressing satisfaction over reduction in state’s debt growth from 2009, Mr. Badal categorically said that Punjab was not a debt ridden state and it has reduced 1.8 percent in debt growth. He said that Punjab had also improved in Debt GSDP ratio from 47.1 percent in 2006-07 to 32 percent in 2013-14.