Mohali, April 14
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today laid the foundation stone of the District Administration Complex in Sector 62 here to mark the formation of the 18th district of the state.
Stating that the new district of SAS Nagar would become a global IT and biotechnology hub in the next five years, the Chief Minister added that within a year it would be a power cut- free zone.
The Chief Minister announced that PUDA would ensure that 10 per cent houses were reserved for the economically weaker sections in the mega housing schemes already given the nod .
Stating that the cost of land across the state had gone up substantially, the Chief Minister pointed out that this was a sign of development in the state.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Shamsher Singh Dullo said: "The creation of a new district is
fine but the Chief Minister should also focus his energies on reviving districts which are dying a slow death in the state. I agree that the cost of land has gone up but how has it benefited the poor? The poor of the state are living pitiable lives and there is a need to focus on them too." Talking to mediapersons later, the Chief Minister stated that the creation of the new district was not a political
move." Everything is not done with politics in mind, this is for the development of the state," he said.
Asked why none of the mega projects cleared by the Empowered Committee for Mohali had yet to become a reality, the Chief Minister said these projects had to be given a no- objection certificate from PUDA. "Emaar MGF would be given the NOC within next week," he added.
Answering a query relating to suicide by farmers in the state, he said the figures given by Mr Inderjit Singh Jaijee could not be relied upon.
"He has calculated the number of suicides in one district and multiplied it with the total number of districts. First we have to ascertain the extent of the problem. Since it involves the arhtiyas, the cooperative and nationalised banks, the problem of indebtness and loans cannot be sorted out at the state level. I have written a note to the Centre regarding this,
"he said.
He reiterated that the state had no money to pay as bonus to the farmers but pointed out that the entire system of paying farmers on the basis of MSP needed to be reviewed. "MSP should be calculated in accordance with the changing price index and the market price."
Kharar MLA Bir Devinder Singh said the Chief Minister had fulfilled the promise of according district status to SAS Nagar to boost development . Mohali would soon witness a series of development activities in the field of industry, housing and healthcare.
