Chandumajra fails to revamp martyr’s ancestral village

SARPANCH SAYS VILLAGE GOT NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL UNDER THE SCHEME EVEN AS IT LACKED SEWERAGE AND A PLAYGROUND

JALANDHAR: In September 2015, Shiromani Akali Dal MP from Anandpur Sahib, Prem Singh Chandumajra, announced to develop Khatkar Kalan — the ancestral village of Bhagat Singh — as a model village while adopting it under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana. Three years down the line, the Akali leader has failed to turn around the village’s fortunes.

The villagers, who are set to observe the death anniversary of the martyr on March 23, believe that successive governments failed to deliver promises. They say proper sewerage and a playground are their main demands.

As per the government records, Chandumajra released three grants to the village — ₹3.75 lakh for 25 solar lights; ₹1.69 lakh for a primary health centre; and ₹2 lakh for streets and drainage. Sources said another instalment of ₹50,000 came for the village under the Adarsh Gram Yojana a couple of months ago.

Sarpanch Satnam Singh said no major development took place in the village under the scheme even as “we lack proper sewerage and playground”. Even, the boundary wall of the park built near the Bhagat Singh’s ancestral house, collapsed two months ago and it has not been repaired.

Former sarpanch Sukhwinder Singh said only ₹7 lakh were allocated for the village’s development. “We approached the MP over our demands, but nothing came out,” he said.

Chandumajra said there was no specific guideline how much money shouldbe allocated under the scheme. “I played a role in bringing ₹14 crore for the museum and the previous Shiromani Akali Dal government did a lot for the village,” he said.

Meanwhile, Patiala MP Dharamvira Gandhi and Faridkot MP Sadhu Singh said the Adarsh Gram Yojana was a complete failure as the fund allocation was arbitrary.

NAME CHANDIGARH AIRPORT AFTER BHAGAT SINGH: MANN

CHANDIGARH: Aam Aadmi Party president Bhagwant Mann has said that the Modi government was non-committal on the issue of naming Chandigarh airport after Bhagat Singh.

In a statement, Maan said despite assurances from various BJP leaders, the Centre was shying away from renaming the airport after the martyr even as Modi government has gone the extra mile in naming various other such projects after RSS leaders, whose contribution to the freedom struggle was nil.