SUKHBIR AIMS TO MAKE PUNJAB LEADING INDUSTRIAL STATE OF COUNTRY

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  * CM To Meet PM Soon To Invite Him For Inaugurating Bathinda Refinery
  
  * Would Request P Chidambram Today To Open Fazilka And Ferozepur Borders For Trade
  
  * All Set For Making Malwa Textile Hub of The Country
  
  * Amritsar And Ajitgarh To Be Next It Destinations of World
  
  * Busy In Settling Scores In Their Own Party Congress Has No Fight With Akali Dal
  
  TALWANDI SABO (BATHINDA) :-
  
  Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab vowed to make state a leading industrial power of the country with state as emerging as most favoured investment destination. He announced Malwa as next Textile Hub of the country and Amritsar and Ajitgarh as IT destinations of the world.
  
  Addressing the mammoth gathering at the political conference organised by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) to mark the festival of Baisakhi here today, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the new industrial focus of the Punjab government was aimed at reducing red tape, making single window functional its true spirit besides launching of plethora of reforms to make state industrial and investment friendly. He said that a complete over haul of industry department was in offing and state has finalized a plan to create land bank to provide land to the investors off the shelf. Similarly time bound and deemed clearance were certain novel initiatives that state was taking to wade through the web of red tape stunting the industrial growth of the state.
  
  The Deputy Chief Minister said that Bathinda refinery a 21500 crore project that was stalled by Captain Amarinder Singh for five years has already started functioning supplying Kerosene, Petrol and other by products to various parts of the county besides exporting its products. He said that he along with Chief Minister would soon meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh requesting him to formally dedicate this prestigious project to the country.
  
  Emphasizing the need for making Punjab a gateway to Central Asian countries Mr Badal said that inauguration of Integrated Check Post today would change the economic profile of whole sate. He said that he would also request Mr P Chidambram the Union Home Minister to take early steps for opening Fazilka and Ferozepur Borders for trade with Pakistan so that these border cities could regain their lost stature.
  
  Announcing the beginning of Malwa as next textile hub of the country, Mr Badal said that he has inaugurated one textile plant and Malwa would soon have biggest Denim plant of the country that would directly manufacture international quality Denim from raw cotton and surely it Wrangler, LEE and other international brands in Washington. He said that Textile industry was most suitable for Malwa region of Punjab as it was employment intensive that would provide direct employment to over One lakh youth mostly girls in over one year. He said that punjab would get Textile industries worth 60000 crores in next two years in he textile hub of Malwa.
  
  Thanking the people of Punjab for reposing faith in the developmental agenda of the SAD-BJP government, Mr Badal said that the responsibility of governance given to us has firmed our resolve to put Punjab back on the pinnacle of glory by pushing the gas paddle of governance reforms.
  
  Announcing Amritsar and Ajitgarh as future IT hubs of the world, Mr Badal said that both these cities with proximity to International Airports, world class road infra structure, road connectivity coupled with Human Resource back up would soon beat Bangalore to emerge as most favoured IT hubs of the IT wizards. He said that SAD-BJP government has pumped in more then 6000 crores on the upgradation of the infra structure of Amritsar and Ajitgarh and its results were now visible on the ground.
  
  Later in the media interaction when queried about symbolic Dharna of PPCC President Captain Amarinder Singh protesting against the alleged framing up of a Congress worker, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the SAD-BJP government does not believe in Vendetta Politics. He said that a criminal case was filed on the directions of Election Commission of India regarding election related violence in the month of January and that worker was evading the arrest. He said that Police has just followed the directions of ECI and state government has no role in it. He quipped that busy in infighting the Congress party has no fight with SAD.
  
  Earlier he paid obeisance at Takht Sri Damdama Sahib, where he was offered Siropa by Takht Sri Damdama Sahib’s Jathedar Balwant Singh Nandgarh.
  
  Prominent amongst those, who were addressed the political conference included Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Member Rajya Sabha, Mr. Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Irrigation Minister, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister, Mr. Chettan Singh Samaon, Mrs. Rajwinder Kaur, Mr. Hari Singh Zira, Mr. Darshan Singh Kotfatta (All MLAs), Mr. Avtar Singh, SGPC Chief, Mr. Prem Singh Chandumajra, Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal (both former ministers) and Mr. Amarjit Singh Sidhu, senior Akali leader .