My commitment to develop ‘Guru Ki Nagri’ remains unwavering, says BJP’s Sandhu

GS Paul

Amritsar, June 5

A day after losing the Lok Sabha polls, former diplomat-turned-BJP leader Taranjit Singh Sandhu declared that he would be committed to the overall development and boosting the economy of Amritsar.

Giving reference to “Viksit Amritsar” initiative that he had disclosed during his poll campaign, Sandhu said he would pursue the objective of setting up startups in various fields and provide skill development opportunities to residents of the holy city, especially the youth. “Viksit Amritsar” is a unique programme spearheaded by a group of eminent NRIs, who have joined hands to pool USD 100 million (Rs 830 crore) for establishing startups and development-oriented entrepreneurs in Amritsar. The focus is on setting up projects in the fields of health, tourism, agriculture, industry, commerce, education and information technology in collaboration with the Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF), a group of eminent Indian-Americans and Indians living in the United States.

Sandhu said he would be fortunate to be a ‘bridge’ between this programme that was conceptualised for the socio-economic development of Amritsar.

“I am grateful to the people of Amritsar who reposed their faith in me and showed affection by voting in my favour. Though, I could not achieve their mandate fully, yet my commitment would be towards development and well-being of Amritsar which is my hometown,” Sandhu said while pointing out that the BJP had garnered a good vote share not only in Amritsar, but in Punjab too.

“Earlier, the winner had registered a win with a margin of 50 per cent votes for Amritsar Lok Sabha seat. This time, we gave a spirited fight and the winning margin was very thin,” he said.

When asked, if he has any plans for contesting the 2027 Assembly polls, Sandhu said, “This has to be decided by the high command. My focus is clearly on the holy city. Through “Viksit Amritsar”, we aim to set up startups for the youth and women, make the city drug-free and ensure hygienic environment with efficient law and order, besides boosting the economy,” he said. He said the need of the hour was to open avenues for the farming community. “Their produce, if sold overseas, would fetch the price that is multiple times they get here. For this, our cargo facility has to be utilised,” he said.