Involve people in city’s progress: AAP leader

Patiala, June 24

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) kicks off a campaign to mobilise Patiala residents for the development of the city. Party’s senior leader Dr Balbir Singh has started meeting people from different walks of life to impress upon them to come forward and send proposals as to what were their demands as far as Patiala’s development was concerned.

The Punjab Government in its recent Budget had announced that Patiala would be developed as a Smart City. The government has announced Rs 100 crore for upgrade of the infrastructure at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Patiala to provide better facilities to the residents. 

It has also announced Rs 5 crore for establishment of the first e-library of the state on the premises of the Central Library. Apart from this, funds were announced for upgrade of piggery farms at Nabha, facelift of the historical building of Mohindra College (established in 1875), an MSME Facilitation Council in Patiala to provide effective facilitation services to MSME units, Rs 20 crore to make Qila Mubarak a tourist spot along with a hotel, and a sports university.

While the AAP has welcomed the move, Dr Balbir Singh said Patiala was undoubtedly in need of an urgent facelift but digitalisation was not the need of the hour. “Patiala has been ignored for the past many years. The city is in complete shambles with poor roads, sewerage facilities, lack of potable drinking water being the primary concerns of the city residents. So, the government should first focus on these things rather than kickstarting new projects for the urbanisation of the city,” he said. 

Dr Balbir Singh demanded that the state government should involve people from different walks of life and seek their opinion as to what they want in the city. — TNS