Special Task Force to curb drug menace in Punjab: Amarinder
PATIALA: Congress leader Amarinder Singh on Sunday asserted that his government will form a ‘Special Task Force’ to curb the drug menace in Punjab, while making the state more investor-friendly.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured him full cooperation for the development of the state.
Winning 77 of the 117 state assembly seats, the Amarinder Singh-led Congress had stormed to power in Punjab riding a strong anti-incumbency wave against the ruling SAD-BJP combine and warding off a spirited challenge by newcomer AAP.
On the vexed issue of Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, Amarinder said it was important to see the quantum of water available with Punjab.
“When Punjab does not have enough water, the question of giving it to other states does not arise,” he said.
He said Punjab has 60 per cent of agrarian land with just eight MAF (million acre-feet) water, while Haryana with 40 per cent of agriculture land has 12 MAF water.
The Congress’ chief ministerial candidate said he was committed to fulfil all the promises made by the party in its election manifesto.
“The Congress-led state government will create an investor-friendly environment in the state. We will make the state’s industrial policy more liberal,” he asserted, adding many top industrialists were in touch with him to set up their units in Punjab.
He said a Special Task Force (STF) will be set up to tackle the state’s drug problem.
Amarinder maintained that there was a new wave in favour of Congress in the country.
Commenting on newcomer AAP’S showing in the state polls, the senior Congress leader said, “AAP’S bubble has burst”.
“There was no wave of AAP in Punjab. The party’s hype was only on social media,” he said.
The senior Congress leader also pointed out the “absence of a regional figure in AAP”, adding that it was the reason behind its drubbing in the state polls.
Calling for a “bigger role for regional leaders in states”, Amarinder said it was vital to project a regional face who could identify with the people.
On being asked whether his party would indulge in political vendetta against the Badals, he said, “We will not work with political vendetta against opponents.”
Amarinder also promised to bring reforms in the state police department.
“There is a financial problem in Punjab, but we are not afraid...we will ensure that poll promises are fulfilled. We will work day and night to bring Punjab back on track,” he said. CHANDIGARH: Outgoing chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) will convene a meeting to analyse the reasons behind its defeat in the 2017 Punjab Assembly elections.
Congratulating the Congress on its victory in the polls, he assured that his party will support the new government if it works in the interest of the people and the state.
“We will call a meeting of the party in which we will discuss the reasons (behind the defeat in the polls),” Badal told reporters after submitting his resignation to Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore here.
On the AAP accusing the Akalis of helping the Congress win in the polls, Badal, rejecting the allegations, said the SAD had always fought against the party for meting out a “stepmotherly” treatment to Punjab.
“So the question does not arise of helping the Congress,” Badal said. On the Sutlej-yamuna-link (SYL) canal issue, Badal reiterated that “not single drop of water” will be shared as Punjab’s economy depended on it.
To a question on the Congress’s resolve to wipe out the drug menace from the state within four weeks, Badal said “whatever steps they take will come before you”.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the party would analyse reasons behind the defeat in a meeting.
“The kind of development work we undertook, has never happened in the state. But if there was any deficiency or wrong propaganda launched against us, we will analyse these and then take corrective measures,” he said.
Sukhbir said though the SAD and the BJP managed 31 per cent vote share, it faced defeat because of drop in vote share. CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday submitted his resignation to Governor V P Singh Badnore following his party’s defeat in the assembly polls.
The Punjab cabinet, which met under Badal for the last time, recommended dissolution of the Assembly, paving the way for the constitution of the new legislature.
The 89-year-old Akali leader along with deputy chief minister and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal went to the Raj Bhawan and handed over the resignation letter to the Governor, a Raj Bhawan spokesman said.
Badal, a five-time Chief Minister, retained his Lambi Assembly seat defeating Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh. However Amarinder retained his traditional bastion Patiala seat.
The SAD-BJP alliance finished a poor third at the hustings with the combine managing just 18 seats in the 117-member House. SAD won 15 seats while its ally BJP won three.new entrant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) won 20 seats.
Congress by bagging 77 seats, one short of two-thirds majority swept Punjab and ended the ten year regime of the Badals.
Earlier, Badal held a cabinet meeting in which a resolution was passed to dissolve the Assembly.
Among others who attended the meeting include Sukhbir Singh Badal, N K Sharma and Madan Mohan Mittal.
The Punjab Cabinet decided to recommend the dissolution of the 14th Punjab Vidhan Sabha under the provision of Article 174 (2) (b) of the Constitution, to the Punjab Governor, an official spokesman said.
A decision to this effect was taken in the meeting of Council of Ministers chaired by Badal here at Punjab Bhawan, the spokesman said.
Calling for a “bigger role for regional leaders in states”, Amarinder said it was vital to project a regional face who could identify with the people