Chandigarh: Ridiculing the Aam Adami Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for making false promises with the industrialists in a run-up to the State Assembly Polls in 2022, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday said that he was befooling them with tall claims based on blatant lies.
In a statement, the Chief Minister said that Kejriwal has promised 24x7 electricity supply in the state if his party is voted to power in the forthcoming assembly polls. Channi said probably Kejriwal was unaware that the Punjab government is already giving electricity supply round-the-clock except for maintenance and unforeseen situations.
Countering Kejriwal’s claim to put an end to 'Inspector Raj,' the Chief Minister said that his government has already abolished Inspector Raj across the state. As many as 17,589 joint inspections have been conducted in the last four and half years through Central Inspection System. Likewise, steps including computerized random selection of establishment & officer for inspection with prior notice to industry, joint inspection of department of Labour, Boilers, Legal, Metrology and Punjab Pollution Control Board, online uploading of inspection report within 48 hours and risk-based inspections of industrial units have been initiated to facilitate the industry.
Replying to another of Kejriwal’s promises to resolve all problems related to infrastructure within two years, the Chief Minister said that his government has always laid special emphasis on maintenance and upgradation works in the Industrial Focal Points. He said PSIEC has spent nearly Rs 95 crore during the past four and half years to provide concrete roads, revival of water supply line, street lights, sewerage disposal etc to ensure a congenial atmosphere for the promotion of industry in the state. Apart from this, approximately Rs 108 crore has also been spent for the development of new Focal Points i.e. Hi Tech Cycle Valley, Dhanansu, Ludhiana and Nabha.
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Referring to the claim made by Kejriwal for the abolition of ‘Hafta system/Gunda Tax’ if voted to power in state, the Chief Minister said that no such system exists in Punjab. In support of his argument, Channi said his government has already taken initiatives to prevent cartelization by abolishing Truck Unions, which has been commended by the industry.
Terming Kejriwal as an opportunist, Channi said such ill-conceived and politically motivated moves would not help AAP convenor to capture electoral ground in Punjab as he is not even remotely concerned with the development of state and welfare of its people being an outsider and was solely eying on the vote bank of one or another section. He said Kejriwal was sadly mistaken and daydreaming thus misleading the people by promising them the moon but the wise people of Punjab would eventually show him the door.
