Budget ensures robust growth for Jalandhar: Bhagat

Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Cheema for allocating substantial funds to Jalandhar in the state Budget presented in the Vidhan Sabha today. The Horticulture Minister also welcomed the Rs 137 crore allocation to the Horticulture Department, stating that the funds would significantly boost crop diversification and horticulture development.

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Bhagat said around 50 km of world-class roads will be constructed in Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ludhiana, and SAS Nagar (Mohali), with Rs 140 crore earmarked for the first year. The project aims to upgrade key road sections to international standards, integrating lane markings, pedestrian-friendly footpaths, landscaped medians, underground electric wiring, modern streetlighting, water supply pipelines, well-equipped bus stands and organised tree plantations.

BJP’s Kalia terms Budget hopeless

Manoranjan Kalia, former minister and member, national executive, BJP termed the Punjab Budget hopeless and retrogressive.

Kalia said the government has failed to implement Kejriwal’s guarantee of paying Rs 1,000 per month to every woman in Punjab and 25 lakh jobs to youth - a promise made during 2022 Assembly elections. After three years of non-performance, the government has declared a war against drugs. It had promised in its manifesto to eradicate the menace within two months of coming into power, Kalia added.

Kalia said there was a question mark over the capability and capacity of the deployment of 5,000 home guards as second line of defence to BSF.