SAD committed to hiking Shagun scheme to Rs 1 lakh and old age pension to Rs 3,100 per month : Sukhbir Singh Badal

SAD committed to hiking Shagun scheme to Rs 1 lakh and old age pension to Rs 3,100 per month : Sukhbir Singh Badal

Announces Aata- Daal scheme would be expanded even as he appeals to Punjabis to reject the looters of Delhi in the 2027 assembly elections

Zira 20 February ( PDL ) : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the welfare of the poorest of the poor was closest to his heart and that he was committed to hiking the ‘shagun’ given on the marriage of a daughter to Rs one lakh besides increasing the old age pension to Rs 3,100 and restarting the ‘Aata-Daal’ scheme with increased commodities. The SAD president received a rousing welcome here when he arrived to address the Punjab Bachao rally organized by halka incharge Harpreet Singh Hero and asserted that the resounding success of the rally had proved that the Panthic constituency had made up its mind to support the SAD enmasse. Asserting that he had a vision for Punjab unlike the Delhi based parties who were only interested in looting the State, Sukhbir Singh Badal said “at our core is the welfare of the ‘gareeb, kisan and mazdoor’. He said former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had shown the way by introducing a number of social welfare benefits for the weaker sections including the Shagun scheme, old age pension and Aata Daal scheme. “We are committed to expanding on these schemes by raising the ‘shagun’ benefit to Rs I lakh besides raising the old age pension to Rs 3,100 per month and distributing ‘aata’ and ‘daal’ under the Aata-Daal scheme at Rs 4 and Rs 20 per kg respectively”.

Stating that he would always uphold the pride and prestige of Punjab and the Panth, Badal said “the SAD stands for the rights and aspirations of Punjabis unlike the Delhi based parties including the Congress, AAP and BJP who only come to rule”. He went on to say that every facility and infrastructure they saw around them was the creation of successive SAD governments, be it the free tubewell connection facility or Mandis, irrigation channels, thermal plants and expressways. He said the SAD did not introduce novel social welfare schemes alone but also brought in administrative reform by establishing Sewa Kendras and Saanjh Kendras. “Tell me one thing the Congress or the present AAP government has done”, he said while adding that the only ‘achievement’ of chief minister Bhagwant Mann was to paste his picture across the length and breadth of the country at a cost of Rs 1100 crore per annum. Badal also took on the AAP government for indulging in open loot of State resources. He said while the SAD had stopped the acquisition of more than 35,000 acres of land in Ludhiana for peanuts to be handed over to cronies of the government, now a move had been initiated to hand over prime real estate in Mohali to Delhi builders. “I want to make it clear to all the Delhi builders that once the SAD comes to power we will cancel these auctions. I also warn government officers not to do anything which compromises the interests of the State or they will also be held liable”.

The SAD president also announced a number of commitments to the people of Punjab covering all sections of society. Speaking about the farmers, Badal said tubewell connections would be given to all those who do not have one within one week of the formation of the next SAD government. He also announced establishment of ‘pucca bundhs’ on rivers to deal with floods, assured grant of land rights to those who had been denied this right till now and free partition of joint ownership of land. Explaining how new jobs and avenues would be opened for the youth and all new industries would have to hire 75 per cent Punjabi youth, Badal said all government jobs would be available for Punjabis only. He also announced that an Rs 10 lakh interest free loan would be available to youth which they could return within a period of ten years. He said the next SAD government would ensure 50 per cent reservation to students of meritorious schools in government as well as private engineering and medical colleges.

Badal also announced that the ‘Rahat’ scheme which was a lump sum tax collection scheme from traders would be restarted. He also announced that motor cycles would be exempted from road tax and the restart of the World Kabaddi Cup and institution of a new Kushti Cup. “Pashu Melas will be encouraged”, he added. Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia while speaking on the occasion said Punjabis were giving a clear signal that they stood for the SAD and Sukhbir Singh Badal. Describing governance in the AAP regime as a “khooni raj”, Majithia said killings with AK-47 rifles and other sophisticated weapons were occurring in front of offices of the Deputy Commissioner, SSP and court complexes. He also highlighted how Bhagwant Mann was readying to sell out the water rights of Punjab to Haryana. Senior leaders Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Harpreet Singh Hero, Sarabjit Singh Jhinjher, Joginder Singh Jindu, Gurmeet Singh Bau , Rohit Vohra and Ranbir Singh Dhillon also spoke on the occasion.