Kataruchak hopes it will not be a bridge too far on Ravi river

Ravi Dhaliwal

Bhoa (Pathankot), Sept 26

Bhoa assembly seat is indubitably one of the most backward areas of Punjab with literacy rate being abysmally low.

Cabinet Minister and Bhoa MLA Lal Chand Kataruchak understood the dynamics of living in a conservative society well.

He knew that to reinvent himself, following his alleged involvement in a couple of unsavoury incidents, he will have to do something big. So, he has latched on to the development bandwagon. This, he says, will keep him “close to his constituents apart from improving their living conditions.”

Having the backing of his benefactor—-the CM—- he has now brought in several big ticket projects. He knows that these have the potential to change the face of his underdeveloped constituency. “The past does not exist for me, the future does. I want Bhoa to come out of its decades-old hibernation. I want more doctors, engineers and IT professionals to be produced from this land. I want my people to embrace modernity,” he told TNS.

The government has sanctioned Rs 89 crore for a mega-bridge to be built over the river Ravi which will reduce the distance between Kirri and Narot Jaimal Singh from 25 km to 5 km. Rs 17 crore has been given for the construction of new roads in border areas. Rs 62 lakh has been sanctioned for the Narot Jaimal Singh Senior Secondary School, Rs 1.64 crore has been provided for the upgrade of four middle schools. The ITI in Bamiyal has got Rs 41 lakh for renovation. Apart from all this, a School of Eminence has also been approved.

“The bridge over the Ravi river will be a game-changer. It will boost the economy of nearby villages. Moreover, eight Mohalla clinics have already started functioning,” he quipped.

His loyalists say the voters have forgotten the past. “People badly need development in Bhoa and that is what they are getting. For them, the past is irrelevant,” said Sarpanch Ashwani Kumar of Gobindsar village.

His opponents, however, say the minister’s followers are engaged in wishful thinking. “We would rather wait for the 2024 election before passing any judgment. If he secures a lead from Bhoa, it will be a clear signal that people have forgotten his past. If he does not, his future as a politician will continue to hang in the balance,” said an AAP MLA.