M A I N   N E W S

Will take ministers only on merit: Badal
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 10
Parkash Singh Badal, who will take over next week as the Chief Minister of Punjab for a record fifth time, today lamented the lack of cooperation from the Centre. In an interview with Raj Chengappa, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Newspapers, he claimed that he already had a blueprint for the all-round development of the state.

“I know the problems... the only thing is the Centre is not doing justice... Punjab is a border state and they should have helped us,” he said.

Punjab was unable to retain its industrial base because of the lavish concessions the Centre allowed the neighbouring hill states, said Badal.

The new government’s priorities would be infrastructure development, power, roads, education, health, water supply and urban development, said Badal and stressed that merit alone would be under consideration when he forms the ministry this time.

The Akali leader declared that the revival of the regional parties was because the Central Government had usurped the powers of the states. “The Centre dictates from Delhi — do this or we will remove your grant or take away your money,” he added.