SRI HARGOBINDPUR(GURDASPUR): Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh Tuesday asserted that Congress party would win the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state with a thumping majority on the poll plank of performance and form the next Government to complete its unaccomplished agenda of development.

Addressing a public rally here at Anaj Mandi, Captain Singh said that the Congress was the only party that could ensure overall development and prosperity in the State due to its progressive and visionary policies aimed at the welfare of the all sections of the society. Capt. Singh said that the position of Congress was strong enough as the masses had acknowledged the pro-people and development oriented programmes of the State Government. 

Capt. Singh further said that our Government was committed for the overall development and prosperity of the farmers and pointed out that 33% of cultivable land was now shifted from the traditional wheat paddy rotation out of which 10% would be brought under citrus plantation, 8% organic farming and 15% under corporate farming.  He said that the basic objective was to enhance the income of farmers by five times through diversification of agriculture. 

On the occasion, the Chief Minister announced to set up a Degree College at Sri Hargobindpur besides a sports stadium after the name of Bhagat Namdev Ji and a 66 KV new sub station at village Ghuman. He also announced a grant of Rs.3 crore for the execution of various development works in the Hargobindpur constituency and handed over a cheque of Rs.38.63 lakh to Fateh Jang Singh Bajwa for the provision of latrines to the dalits under Rajiv Gandhi Pendu Kalyan Yozana.  He also asked Ch.Jagjit Singh to accomplish the sewerage system in the town at a cost of Rs.1.25 crore.  Conceding the demand of the residents of the Ramdas on the occasion of 500th birth anniversary of Baba Buddha ji where he presided over a function yesterday, Capt. Singh announced that he had directed the Chairman PSEB to immediately release 300 new tubewell connections across the bank of the river Ravi.

Earlier, Capt. Singh laid the foundation stone of a new 66 KV grid sub station at village Rajoa at a cost of Rs.3.25 crore. He also paid obeisance at the Gurdwara Sri Damdama Sahib Patshai sixth Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib and was honoured with a siropa and a sword by Jathedar Tarlok Singh, member of Gurdwara Management Committee.

Speaking on the occasion, PWD & Education Minister Partap Singh Bajwa said that the day was not very far when the name of SAD Badal would be wiped out from the political arena of the state. He said that SAD was no more a political party once known for its commitment and welfare of the Sikh panth by its leaders like Master Tara Singh, Giani Kartar Singh and Jathedar Kharak Singh who struggled through out their life to safeguard the very tenets of Sikhism under the banner of Akali Dal, on the contrary SAD Badal was merely a private limited company with Paraksh Singh Badal, Surinder Kaur and Sukhbir Badal as its chairman, vice chairperson and manager of the company respectively.