Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today warned the Centre of "serious political and law and order implications" if it fails to give the state industrial concessions like the ones being given to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
In a letter to the Prime Minister, Badal said the earlier package of concessions given to these states "had played havoc with Punjab's economy and a repetition of this ruinous decision can have serious political and law and order implications."
The Chief Minister sought the intervention of the Prime Minister to "save the state from further ruin and chaos and treat it at par with the neighbouring states while granting industrial or other economic incentives."
Badal said militancy had severely halted the state's progress and caused immense damage to its economy, development and progress, especially in the field of industry.
He said he is is not against industrial incentive to any other state "so long as Punjab, which has a far greater claim on such concessions, is not discriminated against."
"The only reason for extending concessions to these states is that they are strategically disadvantaged in terms of location. That argument applies far more forcefully to the border state of Punjab."
{{/usCountry}}"The only reason for extending concessions to these states is that they are strategically disadvantaged in terms of location. That argument applies far more forcefully to the border state of Punjab."
{{/usCountry}}The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has issued a notification extending the special package of industrial incentives to Jammu and Kashmir up to June 14, 2017.
The Centre is also contemplating extension of tax concessions given to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand in the year 2002-03.