Continuity must in public policies even after change of government

Monday, 10/10/2011

http://my.amarindersingh.in/continuity-must-in-public-policies-even-after-change-of-government

Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Capt Amarinder Singh today said that continuity in various state policies was important even after change of government. He said, the governments come and go but the policies must not change just for the heck of changing these.

The former Chief Minister also said that most of the problems Punjab faced today were the outcome of the Punjabi Suba movement launched by the Akalis that led to Punjab getting fragmented into small pieces and losing massive resources.

Capt Amarinder was addressing the members of the civil society at an interaction organised here today. The members were drawn from a cross section of society representing intellectuals, industrialists, educationists and others. Earlier he had an interaction with the citrus farmers of the area who listed various problems faced by them.

Asserting that continuity in state policy on various issues like industry and investment was important even after the change of government, he said, the Akali-BJP regime unfortunately cancelled all the 399 mega projects sanctioned during the Congress regime. “They cancelled these projects to renegotiate these for the reasons best known to them”, he said, while adding, had these projects been allowed to continue it would have led to creation of lakhs of jobs.

Similarly he said, as part of the diversification programme the Reliance Industries had decided to launch farm to fork project in all the villages in Punjab. But the Akalis cancelled the project and wanted to renegotiate it with Mr Anil Ambani which he refused just because the Akalis had their own agenda to pursue.

The former Chief Minister maintained that the state cannot progress without industrial growth. Agriculture alone cannot sustain Punjab’s economy, he pointed out, while emphasising the need for creating an investment friendly atmosphere and building up the investors’ confidence, besides, there needs to be proper infrastructure.

He said, notwithstanding the wild boasts of Sukhbir Badal to make state power surplus within three years, Punjab continued to be massively power deficit. He said, industry was being subjected to four day power cuts and with the result while no new industry was being set up, even the existing units were expanding to other states.

Capt Amarinder attributed most of the problems being faced by the state to the narrow vision of the Akalis to break Punjab into small pieces to ensure Sikh majority so that they (the Akalis) could form the government.

He said, while they gave away Himachal Pradesh and Haryana with all the resources in 1966 and within seven years they wanted everything back when they passed Anandpur Sahib Resolution. He pointed out all the hydro-electric resources and tourist potential was lost to Himachal while industrial hubs of Faridabad and Gurgaon were lost to Haryana.

During his interaction with the citrus farmers, Capt Amarinder assured them once Congress forms government after elections, their problems will be sorted out. He pointed out, during his last tenure he had set up Asia’s largest citrus nursery near Adampur. But the Akalis ensured that the nursery failed. He told the farmers that Congress government will ensure that the citrus potential is exploited to the best yield. He also visited the citrus farms of progressive horticulturist Khushwant Singh.