ZIRA (FEROZEPUR): 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, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal said “at our core is the welfare of the ‘gareeb, kisan and mazdoor’. He said former chief minister S 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”.
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”.
Mr 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.