Presenting a report card on Congress Government’s performance during its first year in office, Punjab Governor VP Singh Bandore on Tuesday assured the employees and pensioners of “clearing their pending dues”.
Bandore, addressing the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the Budget Session amid walkout by the ‘divided’ Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) on the issue of drugs, and boycott by the SAD-BJP MLAs on the issue of farm debt waiver, maintained that the government was seriously concerned about the problems of employees and pensioners in the State.
“It has decided to clear their pending dues on priority as also to evolve appropriate mechanism to resolve their genuine grievances,” he said.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh described AAP’s walkout during
the Governor’s address as “unfortunate”.
Highlighting the Government’s “achievements” and decisions taken in various sectors during the past one year, Bandore’s address to the House was an attempt to make clear the Congress regime’s stand on various issues including the free electricity to farmers, farm debt waiver, generating employment, sharing of State’s water, among others.
Governor hailed the Government’s “strenuous efforts” to restore rule of law and maintain peace and order in the State. “It has worked tirelessly on restructuring the systems, redefining the policies and reformulation of development programmes to ensure transparent governance for the benefit of the people of Punjab,” he said.
Bandore observed that the Government fully respects the expectations of the people as they “reaffirmed their faith in the Government in the bye-election to Gurdaspur Parliamentary constituency as also in elections to 32 Municipalities and four Municipal Corporations”.
On law and order front, he said that the government has taken stern action against all those involved in cases of sacrileges and killings of senior leaders of some communities, besides dealing effectively with the gangs of criminals operating in the State.
“Government is committed to ensure that not only those involved in these crimes are brought to justice, but also that no person is unduly implicated in false cases,” he said pointing that Justice Mehtab Singh Commission of Enquiry has recommend cancellation of 225 cases and compensation and disciplinary action in 31 cases.
He said the Government is fully committed to save and protect Punjab’s river waters. “Punjab does not have surplus water and any attempt to transfer the waters of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej to any non-basin States would not be allowed,” he said adding that the Government is seriously concerned about some illegitimate demands and averments of our neighbouring States and it shall take all possible administrative and legal measures to protect the Punjab river waters.
“We are not against the interests of any neighbouring states and are always willing to help them with good neighbourly gestures, but my Government would not allow anyone to trample over Punjab’s inalienable rights over its river waters,” he made it clear in his address.
Governor also made clear government’s stand that the free power to farmers and subsidized power to domestic consumers of SC, BC, and BPL categories would continue, coupled with power at Rs 5 per unit to the state’s industry amounting to additional subsidy of Rs 1,500 crore.
Vidhan sabha payas tribute to Indians killed in Iraq
Chandigarh: Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday paid rich tribute to 24 Punjabis, out of 39 Indians, killed in Iraq by ISIS, along with the farmers who have committed suicide during the past year on the first day of the budget session.
Among others who were remembered by the House include former Akali minister and sitting MLA Ajit Singh Kohar, Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor, sufi singer Pyare Lal Wadali, Punjabi singer Sabar Koti, renowned Punjabi writer Prof Rajpal Singh among others.
The House also paid tribute to former Minister Sandool Singh Bandala, former Minister Manjit Singh Calcutta, former MP and former MLA Satnam Singh Kainth, former MP Bahadur Singh, Dronacharya Awardee Sukhchain Singh Cheema, besides seven freedom fighters and martyr Naik Amarseer Singh.