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.
The toll was confirmed to the media by Rajkot Range Inspector General of Police Ashok Yadav. However, the toll according to the Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi is 132, while two persons remain unaccounted for.
Addressing to a gathering here, Mann said it is crystal clear that the people of Gujarat have made up their mind to give mandate in favour of AAP by ousting the BJP from the power. He said the Opposition is trying to malign AAP by dubbing it 'B' team of others but AAP is party of Gujarat's people and 130 crore of Indians.
Mining trader Mehal Singh (70) was shot dead outside his house on October 13. The operation was jointly carried out by the Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), Counter Intelligence (CI) Punjab, the District Police of Udham Singh Nagar Uttarakhand, the Special Cell Delhi and the District Police of Mohali.
The deceased identified as Sunita Mittal was travelling by an e-rickshaw. Her grandson and daughter-in-law were also with her. She was on her way to Rohini sector 9. In the Prashant Vihar area two persons who were riding on a scooty attacked her in a bid to snatch her bag. The woman raised an alarm.
During the physical search, both the women were detected with something wrapped below their knees in a bandage-like arrangement, arousing suspicions. On further examination, it was found that the duo had wrapped 24 carat pure gold in wax form around their legs, concealed with an adhesive bandage-like material underneath their jeans.
As Kejriwal faces flak now, Maharashtra Congress Chief Spokesperson Atul Londhe hit out saying the 'IIT graduate' Delhi CM was 'pontificating like a pandit or soothsayer' with his ridiculous suggestions.
