JALALABAD : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today filed his nomination papers from this constituency, saying the next SAD-BSP alliance government would not only usher in all round development which had been halted during Congress rule, but would also ensure upliftment of the weaker sections and peace and communal harmony in the State.
The SAD President, who filed his nomination papers at the SDM office here, was accompanied by former union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal who is also his covering candidate.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Badal said the erstwhile SAD led government had transformed Jalalabad into a model constituency. “We are similarly committed to transform the entire border belt and the State by ensuring all civic facilities are available in urban areas in our villages. Development of the entire State will be taken up as a whole and we will ensure all modern facilities including pucca roads and street lights are available in villages”.
Asserting that the SAD was the first to come out with a thirteen point programme which was later even copied by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Mr Sukhbir Badal said “we have taken feedback from the people to chart out the 13 point programme. This along with more measures recommended by a cross section of people will form the core of our election manifesto “, he added.
The SAD President said that “during our last stint in power we provided access to round the clock power to everyone. This time we are committed to reducing the cost of power and also providing 400 units of power free of cost to all consumers. This will reduce your household expenditure considerably”. He also announced that women head of below poverty line families would also be entitled to Rs 2, 000 per month. “Besides this we are committed to providing a medical insurance cover of Rs ten lakh per annum to all families' '. He also announced that a Rs ten lakh life insurance cover and fire insurance cover would be given to shopkeepers.
The SAD President also assured to give a fillip to self employment. “In villages we will provide women interest free loans to purchase ten milch animals. Similarly youth will be provided an interest free loan of Rs five lakh to encourage them to become entrepreneurs”. He also announced that rural youth passing out from government schools would be provided 33 per cent reservation in technical institutions and that the State would look after their education. “Students can also avail an Rs ten lakh student loan to take up higher education in India and abroad”.
Mr Badal said the SAD-BSP alliance government was committed to ensure the welfare of the weaker sections. He said lakhs of blue cards which had been scrapped by the Congress government due to which lakhs of families were being denied subsidized ration, would be restored. He said similarly the SC scholarship scheme would be revived. He also announced that the next government would focus on the education and health sector. “We will build mega schools having the capacity to teach five thousand students each in every block of the State. Medical colleges will also come up in each district headquarter. These measures will ensure provision of quality health and education facilities at the grass root level”.
After filing his nomination papers Mr Sukhbir Badal welcomed nearly 100 office bearers of AAP and Congress parties from Fazilka district into the SAD. He assured them due honour and respect in their new party