Get ready for a power-packed birthday bash of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday.
He will celebrate turning 86 by throwing a feast to more than 1-lakh people who will attend the inauguration of the first unit of the 1,400-megawatt thermal-energy plant at Rajpura, a project that will make Punjab power surplus in the coming days.
The state government will spend `50 lakh on distributing packed food alone at the event. After inaugurating the 700-MW first unit of the Larson and Toubro (L&T) plant, the CM will cut a cake on the stage. The packed food will include laddoos, two kachoris, balushahi, and water, and each pack will cost `50 roughly. "Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal gave us personal instruction to include sweets in the food pack, as the CM's birthday will also mark a big step towards realising the Akali-BJP government's biggest dream of making Punjab power surplus," said an official making the arrangements.
Knowing CM's age no cakewalk
The packed food will be served at the 300-acre rally venue divided into 40 sectors. "Earlier, L&T planned to make a cake that weighed the same as the CM's age but had to abandon it because of confusion over the exact years. No one from the government would give the company a clue," said an official.
The Congress always takes dig at the CM over his age, as the Shiromani Akali Dal celebrated his 80th birthday in 2006. "The party's local leadership also is preparing a small birthday cake that the CM will cut on the stage.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress always takes dig at the CM over his age, as the Shiromani Akali Dal celebrated his 80th birthday in 2006. "The party's local leadership also is preparing a small birthday cake that the CM will cut on the stage.
{{/usCountry}}The day is special, as the state is turning power surplus," said cabinet minister Surjit Singh Rakhra.