CM lists out govt’s achievements

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, August 16

Presiding over the state-level Independence Day function held yesterday at Guru Gobind Singh Stadium, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh listed out achievements of his government in the past two years.

Starting from the menace of drug addiction, he said 27,744 cases had been registered under the NDPS Act with the arrest of 33,622 persons, besides recovery of 767 kg of heroin and huge quantity of other contraband substances. As many as 87,000 addicts were being treated in 178 OOAT centres of the state.

Giving a report on farmer-related initiatives, the Chief Minister said the state government was contemplating to disburse Rs 520 crore to 2.85 lakh farm labourers and landless farmers who are members of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies. Under the debt relief scheme till date, 5.62 lakh marginal and small farmers had been benefited by settling their standing crop loans of Rs 4,700 crore.

On the education front, he said, government schools had registered an increase of 8.7 per cent in the overall pass percentage of Class X and 4.45 per cent in Class XII.

He said 261 smart schools had been set up, covering all 217 educationally backward blocks at a cost of Rs 30 crore.

Announcing that the state government would organise the 5th Mega Job Fair at different venues across the state from September 9 to 30, Captain Amarinder said about 2 lakh jobs in private sectors would be offered to the unemployed youth, besides 1 lakh applicants were likely to be assisted for self-employment.

He also announced that the youth would be provided free smart mobile phones shortly under the Digital Punjab initiative in fulfilment of the poll promise. The Chief Minister also appealed to people to plant 550 saplings each in all 12,700 villages of the state as part of the 550th Parkash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev. He said 40 lakh saplings had already been planted so far in 3,500 villages to make the state clean, green and pollution-free.

On the revival of industry, he said the new industrial policy had given a big boost with over Rs 50,000 crore in investments being firmed up.

To give a further push to rural development, he pointed out that an outlay of Rs 680 crore had been kept under the Smart Village Campaign, an umbrella programme to ensure all-round development of villages, of which Rs 198 crore had been released as the first instalment. Prioritising the welfare of SC/BC, the Chief Minister said 200 free units of power were being provided to SC, BPL and BC households. The government had already enhanced the monthly social security pension from Rs 500 to Rs 750 for 20 lakh beneficiaries with an annual expenditure of Rs 1,600 crore, besides enhancing the financial assistance under the Ashirwad Scheme from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000.

Earlier, a colourful programme comprising tent pegging by the Punjab Police, besides mass PT show, giddha, bhangra and other traditional folk dances performed by school and college students enthralled the audience.

The Chief Minister also honoured three freedom fighters namely Prem Sagar, Dev Brat Sharma and Jawahar Lal, besides distributing sewing machines among needy women and tricycles among physically challenged persons.

In a symbolic gesture, Captain Amarinder handed over appointment letters to five newly recruited youngsters — Charanpreet Kaur, Gurpreet Pal Singh, Jasmine Singh, Mandeep and Amarjit, who got employment in private sectors under the Ghar Ghar Rozgar Scheme.

MP Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Senior Adviser to Chief Minister Lt Gen TS Shergill (retd), MLAs Pargat Singh, Sushil Rinku, Chaudhary Surinder Singh, Rajinder Beri, Bawa Henry and Hardev Singh Laddi, Chief Secretary Karan Avtar Singh, DGP Dinkar Gupta, former MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, ADGP Ishwar Singh, Special Principal Secretary to CM Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, Jalandhar Division Commissioner B Purushartha, DC Varinder Kumar Sharma, Police Commissioner Gurpreet Singh Bhullar, SSP Navjot Singh Mahal, Cultural Affairs Director MS Jaggi, MC Commissioner Diprava Lakra, Mayor Jagdish Raj Raja, Improvement Trust Chairman Daljit Singh Ahluwalia and OSD to CM Gurpreet Singh Sonu Dhesi were among others who were present on the occasion.

5.62 l benefited under debt-relief scheme

Giving a report on farmer-related initiatives, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh durign the Independence day function said the state government was contemplating to disburse Rs 520 crore to 2.85 lakh farm labourers and landless farmers who are members of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies. Under the debt-relief scheme till date, 5.62 lakh marginal and small farmers had been benefited by settling their standing crop loans of Rs 4,700 crore.