Sukhbir Badal's dream power project inaugurated in Punjab
SP Sharma
JAMMU, Nov.25. Chief Minister of Punjab, Parkash Singh Badal, on Monday inaugurated the first unit of the 660 mws Talwandi Sabo thermal power plant that is a dream project of the Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal. The super-critical project constructed by the Vedanta group on completion next year would generate 1980 mws of electricity. It would cost Rs.11,000 crore.
Sukhbir Singh and his wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who is also MP of the Bathinda parliamentary constituency, were present on the occasion. Thousands of SAD and BJP activists participated in the inauguration ceremony.
Sukhbir Singh is taking steps to make Punjab surplus in power generation so that the number one position of Punjab in industry and agriculture is restored.
Slamming the Congressmen who were skeptical about the destiny of this prestigious power project, the Chief Minister said that it was an established fact that they believed in politics of negativism, which was evident from the tough posture adopted by former Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, who was bent upon to shut the prestigious Guru Gobind Singh Refinery at Bathinda describing it as an 'White Elephant' for the reasons best known to him. He said that when the SAD-BJP alliance was voted to power in 2007 we were committed to restart the same and today that farce considered by the Congress has turned to be a reality thereby changing the fortunes of the people. Mr. Badal said the refinery and now the Talwandi Sabo Power project along with other path breaking initiatives like Central University and the upcoming Domestic Terminal in Bathinda was reflective of state government's firm commitment to showcase Bathinda-Mansa belt as the upcoming investor friendly destination across the world. The Chief Minister also announced that the state government would soon release 1.50 lakh priority Tube well connections to the farmers having small and marginal holdings.
Chiding the Congress for ruining the beleaguered peasantry of the state, the Chief Minister said that the Congress was inimical to the state from day one as it denied Punjab of its legitimate territorial rights in terms of its Capital, share in river water besides attacking on Sri Durbar Sahib thereby hurting the religious sentiments of the Punjabis in general and Sikh community in particular. He categorically said that now the situation was ripe enough when the Punjabis could teach Congress a befitting lesson by showing the door to them for their autocratic style of functioning where corruption, nepotism, inflation, illiteracy, poverty, maladministration and above all internal and external insurgency was the order of the day. Mr. Badal said that for states to ensure smooth functioning it was mandatory to have harmonious relations with the centre, which could only be feasible if the BJP led NDA government was voted to power at Centre. He mentioned if the BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Mr. Narendra Modi holds the rein of next Union government then it would be far more easy for them to seek funds liberally besides getting major projects sanctioned in the state.
The Chief Minister said the people of Punjab were satisfied with the overall development and prosperity in the state during seven years of SAD-BJP regime and hoped their unflinching faith in the government would help the alliance to eliminate the Congress during the ensuing Lok Sabha polls by capturing all the 13 seats from the state. He asked the people not to be swayed away by the hollow slogans of the Congress and better judge the performance of both the parties before casting their franchise. Mr. Badal said that every vote cast by the people would be decisive in marring or making the prospects of the state from the viewpoint of prosperity and development.
The Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP alliance was the only party in the history of state politics which was committed for the welfare of the poor and disadvantaged sections of the society to the core whereas the Congress was absolutely insensitive towards their hardships. He said that SAD-BJP's concern for people was reflective of their recent launch of pro-people schemes like Atta-Dal, Mai Bhagio Istri Vidya, Dr. Hargobind Khurana Scholarship, Bhagat Puran Singh Sehat Beema Yojna and others adding he mentioned that from December 1 the state government would double the number of beneficiaries under the Atta-Dal scheme from existing 16 to 32 lakh besides slashing the rate of Atta from Rs 4 to Re 1 per Kg.
The Chief Minister gave the entire credit of overall development and prosperity in the state to the congenial atmosphere with absolute peace, amity and communal harmony despite the fact that our neighboring state Jammu and Kashmir and hostile Pakistan across the border were burning. He said that Punjab was a leading state in the field of education and has also been adjudged 'excellent' in the Healthcare infra structure as rated by the Government of India. Mr. Badal said that due to the concerted efforts of the state government and the hard working people of Punjab, the state has been undoubtedly rated as the most preferred investment destination by the Reserve Bank of India.
Speaking on the occasion Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said that the commissioning of first phase of Talwandi Sabo Power Plant has proved that the SAD-BJP Government did not make 'castle in the air' and fulfilled its promise to make Punjab a power surplus state. He said that when they had announced to come with a thermal plant here five years back, the Punjab Congress had ridiculed their initiatives and even made mockery of them but today they stood exposed and have nothing to say as the commissioning of power plants has now begun. He announced that 1400 MW Rajpura Thermal Plant was all set to commission its first unit from December 8.
Sukhbir advised, PPCC Chief Partap Singh Bajwa to stop daydreaming since the Congress would never come in the power in Punjab for next 25 years. He said that not only Mr. Bajwa, but the entire Congress leadership should realize the factual position that the Congress party after having lost two assembly elections consecutively could never staged come back in that particular state. Citing the examples of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Bihar where the congress has been permanently decimated after losing elections, he said that in the light of this fact the Punjab Congress would never be voted to power in near future and the SAD-BJP alliance was bound to serve the state for atleast next 25 years and even beyond.
The Deputy Chief Minister also informed the mammoth gathering that Vedanta Group would set up world class multi specialty hospital in Mansa to provide the best Healthcare facilities to the needy on affordable rates.
Earlier Bathinda Member Parliament Harsimrat Kaur Badal, while felicitating the Punjab Government for creating a history by making Punjab a power surplus state, said that despite constant apathy of Congress led UPA Government the SAD-BJP Government has left no stone unturned for the overall development of state. She said that it was only Parkash Singh Badal, who knows the pulse of every section of society whereas the Congress did nothing for Punjab after independence. The Member Parliament said that Punjab always took new strides of prosperity and progress only in the regime of SAD-BJP Government.
In his welcome address Chairman of the Vedanta Group Anil Aggarwal said that he was fortunate to associate with the Punjab government and install this 11000 crore Super Critical Thermal Power Project., which would not only give further impetus to the industry but also make Punjab as a power surplus satte. He said that it was a matter of pride for the group to be one of the key players in Power sector to make the ever biggest private investment in power sector with also the highest generating capacity of 1980 MW. Showering heaps of praise on the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for extending fulsome support and cooperation due to which this project has been dedicated to the nation today in a fast track mode.
