Mann calls on Modi, seeks ₹1 lakh cr special package

Chandigarh : Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday sought special financial package worth ₹1 lakh crore from the Centre for the revival of state’s economy besides ensuring holistic development and welfare of its people

Chandigarh : Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday sought special financial package worth ₹1 lakh crore from the Centre for the revival of state’s economy besides ensuring holistic development and welfare of its people.

Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday sought special financial package worth ₹1 lakh crore from the Centre for the revival of state’s economy besides ensuring holistic development and welfare of its people.

Mann called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his office at Parliament House on Thursday afternoon. Apprising the Prime Minister about the pathetic fiscal position of the state, the chief minister said that the previous governments have left a whopping burden of ₹3 lakh crore on the state and sought immediate financial package of ₹50,000 crore each for two years to put the derailed economy back on the rails. He hoped that with this financial help, the state’s economy would become self-sustainable and economically viable during the third year.

The meeting was Mann’s first with the Prime Minister after being sworn in as the chief minister of Punjab on March 16.

Mann said his government would also strive hard to fill the empty coffers by completely wiping out the mafia from the state. He mentioned that Punjabis have made enormous sacrifices for the country’s independence and even now, valiant Punjabi soldiers are protecting the borders from internal and external aggression to safeguard nation’s integrity and sovereignty.

Seeks hi-tech infra for state forces

Raising the issue of national security, Mann also solicited wholehearted support from the central government to foil the attempts of inimical forces across the border. He also assured the Prime Minister that Punjab would also provide all necessary assistance to the Centre in this regard and also requested it to furnish latest and hi-tech infrastructure to the state forces for anti-insurgency operations.

Terming the outcome of the meeting positive, Mann said the Prime Minister promised all possible support and complete cooperation to make Punjab a vibrant state (Rangla Punjab). “If Punjab makes rapid strides of development, then India would also eventually prosper,” he said. Quoting a few lines from the poem of legendary poet Prof Mohan Singh, the CM said that Punjab was like a stone studded in the ring of India. He lamented that this stone (Punjab) had gradually lost its sheen with the passage of time due to people’s ill-conceived decisions to elect certain governments which ruled the state.

‘Will make Punjab number 1 state’

Reiterating his firm commitment, the chief minister said his government would leave no stone unturned to make Punjab as number one state in the country which would also bring laurels for the country at the global level.

Mann said the Prime Minister assured to take up the matter with the ministries of finance and home to provide adequate support to the state.

On the occasion, the CM presented a shawl and a bouquet to Prime Minister as a goodwill gesture, who in turn wished him good health and a successful innings ahead as the chief minister.

Mann later also met Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal at the latter’s residence in the national capital. Their meeting lasted nearly an hour.