Date: 05 Aug 2012
Punjab pays glorious tributes to Shaheed Udham Singh Tuesday, July 31, 2012 - 17:30\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ SUNAM UDHAM SINGH WALA (SANGRUR): Addressing a massive gathering at a state level function held here to pay the glorious tributes to the great son of soil Shaheed Udham Singh on his 73rd martyrdom day, the Chief Minister said that Centre had always ignored not only the patriotic aspects of Punjab that had contributed more than 80% share in freedom struggle but also the hardships of Punjabi farmers in resolving the country’s food dilemma, even at the cost of state’s natural resources such as soil and groundwater. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ He said that with a view to fulfill the aspirations and dreams of our martyrs to get justice and equality for every citizen besides insuring sustainable development in economic, agriculture, industrial sectors, people of Punjab must pave a way for the BJP led National Democratic Alliance to form next government in the Centre.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Badal said that it was our bounden duty to construct monuments in the memory of our martyrs who made supreme sacrifices to liberate our country from the British rule. These memorials would also inspired our future generations and inculcate the values of patriotism and nationalism in them, he added. The Chief Minister further said that a world class Freedom Martyrs' Memorial (Jang-e-Azadi) at a cost of Rs. 100 crore would be established at Kartarpur, in commemoration of the remarkable contribution made by the freedom fighters of our country in general and Punjabis in particular during the National freedom struggle, for which the state government had already allotted 20 acres of land on Jalandhar-Amritsar national highway. He further said that government had also constituted a concept committee that included eminent scholars and historians for their valuable inputs and suggestions. Chief Minister had also planned to visit places like Cellor prison at Andaman and Nikobar, museums at Hedrabad and Delhi along with committee members in coming days. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ On agriculture front, Badal said that today agriculture was no longer be a profitable profession because of its low returns and became non-remunerative and stagnated business but over sitting these facts Centre had always adopted an anti-farmer approach while fixing minimum support price (MSP) for various crops. He said that states should not beg for remunerative MSP for their produce rather Centre should evolve a permanent solution either by linking MSP with the consumer price index or implementing the recommendations in the report of eminent farm economist Dr. MS Swaminathan that advocates, “MSP should be equal to the cost of production plus its 50%”. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Regarding the Power crises in the state due to deficit monsoon, the Chief Minister said that he had already contacted the Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and urged to immediately allocate 1000 MW additional power to Punjab from Central quota especially for enabling our farmers to cope with the drought like situation, whereas industrial and domestic sectors also need extra power. State had already changed the timings of the offices in the state and banned of use of Air Conditioners in the government offices as corrective measures to save power in this difficult hour of crisis, added Badal. He also asked the people of the state not to use electricity excessively and help the government in saving it. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ While Informing about the concerted efforts of the state government to make Punjab self reliant in power sector in near future, Badal said that their government had already taken historic steps to make Punjab self sufficient in Power Sector as work to generate 4620 MW additional power at Talwandi Sabo, Goindwal Sahib & Rajpura thermal plants was going on at war footing. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Admiring the role of Punjabis in the freedom struggle, Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said it was the pious duty of everyone to nurture the feeling of nationalism amongst our youth through the commemoration of such occasions in a befitting manner by paying homage to the great warriors and patriots like Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Shaheed Udham Singh. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ The Minister said that state government had already made a budgetary provision of Rs. 5 crore to develop a world class Museum at a cost of Rs. 12 crore over a period of three years at Sunam in the memory of Shaheed Udham Singh. He appealed to the younger generation to draw inspiration and the spirit of patriotism and nationalism from the supreme sacrifices made by our great martyrs during the freedom struggle of India. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ On the occasion the Chief Minister honored the lineal decedents of Shaheed Udham Singh along with Dr. Kulwant Singh Dhaliwal (UK) for launching ROKO Cancer mobile checkup vans and Dr. SP Singh Oberoi, who played a key role in saving Punjabi Youths in Dubai by arranging a large amount of blood money.\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ On the occasion Chief Parliamentary Secretary Balbir Singh Ghanus said that their unparalleled sacrifices of great patriots like Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev would ever act as a source of inspiration for our youth to serve our motherland. \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Prominent amongst others who spoke on the occasion included Chairman District Planning Board Gobind Singh Longowal, Former Minister Gobind Singh Kanjhla, Member Admn. PSPCL Gurbachan Singh Bacchi, MLA Iqbal Singh Jhhunda and Vice Chairman Punjab Mandi Board RS Cheema besides senior leadership and party workers of SAD-BJP and the members of the SGPC were also attended the function. ========================================== 000000000