CM raised issues of Punjab’s right on Chandigarh, Punjab’s riparian rights, BBMB, SYL, Shanan Power Project, RDF, drug smuggling from the other side of border and international flights

Unlike his predecessors, CM Bhagwant Mann raises Punjab’s issues with the centre in a loud and clear manner: AAP

Chandigarh: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) commended Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for raising all the issues pertaining to Punjab in North Zone Council (NZC) meeting headed by Home Minister Amit Shah in Amritsar.

      Addressing a press conference from the party office in Chandigarh, AAP Punjab chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said that the previous chief ministers of Punjab used to compromise before centre at the expense of the state’s rights. But, unlike them the current Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised all the issues in this meeting and put forward Punjab’s demands and rights loud and clear.

       Kang said that these issues are not new but are pending for decades now. CM Mann reiterated Punjab’s sole and bonafide right on Chandigarh as Chandigarh was built on the land of Punjab’s villages as the capital of Punjab. He also demanded Punjab’s representation back in BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board) and said that Rajasthan and Himachal shouldn’t have their members on this board.

       Mann also talked about Riparian rights of Punjab and said that SYL is not possible at any cost but a YSL should be built as Punjab has right on Yamuna’s water. He said that Haryana and Rajasthan are already getting water from Beas. The Shanan Power Project was also discussed and Mann said that Punjab has its right on it as Punjab has developed this project and increased its power generation from 48 megawatts to 110 megawatts.

        He also took up the matter of Punjab University with the Home Minister and asked that all funds of the University should be released immediately. He also demanded pending RDF money from the centre and said that Punjab has the best mandi system in the country which is suffering now because the centre is holding RDF which is causing obstacles in the development of mandis and roads in rural areas of the state.

       Kang also praised CM for taking up the matter of Punjab being a border state hence the centre should foot all the bills when Central forces come to state because Punjab’s security is not only the responsibility of the state government but also the centre’s responsibility. He also demanded the centre to take measures to stop drug smuggling in the state from the other side of the border through drones.

       Kang said that the centre government should already have given Punjab special packages to encourage crop diversification in the state, which is the need of the hour, and a financial package to cover damages in the states due to floods this monsoon, today CM Mann asked for these packages. He also asked the central government to look into the matter of international flights from the airports in the state because so many Punjabis travel abroad every year. Kang hoped that the central government would respond positively on all matters and finally give Punjab all its rights.