Those at helm decorated their palaces at cost of a dilapidated Patiala: Punjab CM
Darpan News Desk IANS, 20 Jan, 2023 11:19 AM
Patiala, Jan 20 (IANS) Despite being a power centre, Patiala lagged behind in process of development due to "vested interests" and "greed" of the successive rulers, who "decorated their own palaces at the cost of dilapidation of the city", Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said.
The Chief Minister, while interacting with the media after reviewing the progress of development projects worth Rs 167 crore in the city, said it is ironic that the Maharajas in power were more concerned about their own development rather than that of the city.
He said though Patiala was known as 'City of Gardens' but due to apathy of those in power, the city lost its shine in the last few years.
Mann bemoaned that the rulers of Punjab, who hailed from Patiala, remained callous about the development of the city.
He said the work on the majority of these projects, including construction of new bus stand, roads, drain channelisation and beautification project, construction of digital library at Musafir Memorial Central state library and others, have been hanging in fire since long.
However, he said that his government, which is committed to the development and progress of Patiala, has put these projects on a fast-track mode.
The work on the state-of-the-art bus stand, which is being constructed to cope up with the futuristic needs, will be completed by April 1, he said.
The Chief Minister said 93 per cent work of the bus stand has already been completed. Once operational, 1,500 buses will ply from this bus stand and will facilitate the residents a lot.
He said the existing bus stand will be used as a city bus stand, adding a shuttle bus service will be introduced.
The Chief Minister said Rs 20 crore is being spent for extending round-the-clock canal water supply to the city, adding the work for channelising and beautification of model town drain will be completed by March 31.
He said the Rajindra Tank would be developed into a tourism spot for attracting the people from across the globe. Likewise, Mann said Rs 8.26 crore is being spent on digitalisation of the Musafir Memorial Central State Library.
Sources in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on Thursday that it recently questioned two Punjabi singers in connection with the killing of popular Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala in May this year. The NIA questioned Dalpreet Dhillo and Mankirat Aulak for hours at it's Delhi headquarters.
Morbi Collector G.T. Pandya told the mediapersons that the rescue operation was continuing and one person was still. "A person from Punjab was missing and his family were being informed about the incident. Search operation will continue till the body is found."
"All the three victims, including his 26-year-old wife, four-year-old daughter and one-year-old son, have sustained severe burn injuries and are undergoing treatment at the district hospital."
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday directed Labour Minister Manish Sisodia to provide financial aid of Rs 5,000 per month to labourers amid ban on construction activities. Amid rising air pollution in the capital city, the Delhi government had on Sunday banned the construction and demolition activities in line with the GRAP.
Ravindra Singh Yadav, the Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), said: "Specific inputs were received regarding liquor being transported illegally in a Tata Ace vehicle following which a trap was laid in Rohini. The vehicle was intercepted and 120 cartons containing the illicit liquor were recovered.
The official said all the three accused had arrived at the IGI on October 28, and their behaviour appeared suspicious. The official said they "deliberately did not mention about the gold in their possession with an intent to clear the impugned goods clandestinely".
