Punjab won’t sell electricity to Pak till normalcy returns: CM
Amarinder meets Tarn Taran martyr’s family, announces jobs for his two children
VEINPOIN(TARNTARAN:) Urging the Centre to adopt a tough policy against Pakistan, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday said Punjab will not sell electricity to Pakistan till normalcy returns in the relations between the two countries.
The CM, who called on the family of Naib Subedar Paramjit Singh who was killed by the Pakistani army along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, said, “As far as selling power to Pakistan is concerned, there can be no cooperation till the normalcy returns and environment gets better. In such an atmosphere, we won’t go ahead with this offer.”
Notably, Amarinder had recently taken up the proposal of Punjab selling electricity to Pakistan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The CM said the Centre needs to adopt a tough policy against Pakistan in view of the present scenario. “The Centre is not doing enough to protect the men manning the country’s borders. Tough steps need to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such brutal killings at the border. India should retaliate with thrice the force to any incursions into our territory.”
‘WILL TAKE CARE OF
OUR SOLDIERS’
After meeting the family of Paramjit Singh, Amarinder said the government will recruit Paramjit’s daughter Simardeep Kaur, who is 16 now, as naib tehsildar when she passes Class 12.
He said the martyr’s son Sahildeep, who is 12, will be directly recruited as ASI in Punjab Police once he does his graduation. The state government had earlier announced a total assistance of Rs 12 lakh to the martyr’ family. “We all our here to share the pain of the family and we have assured them that whatever help they need in future will also be given,” he added.
The CM also announced that a school and a stadium in the area will be named after the martyr.
Amarinder said a new policy will be formulated soon by the state government to compensate families of jawans who are posted in any force.
“In the next cabinet meeting, we will bring a standardised policy. As many Punjabis are serving in various forces, the state will compensate all in the event of any loss,” he added.
He reiterated that his government was acting tough on the drug issue and over 1,200 drug peddlers have already been arrested.
The CM was accompanied by Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, power minister Rana Gurjit Singh and MLAs from Tarn Taran district.