Union information and broadcasting minister and Ludhiana member parliament (MP) Manish Tewari laid the foundation stone for upgrading two link roads in Dakha assembly segment in Ludhiana parliamentary constituency under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, here on Sunday.
Tewari laid the foundation stone of the link road between village Sohian to National Highway-95 and Braich to Dhollan, being built at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore 6 lakh and Rs 6 crore 39 lakh, respectively.
Tewari exhorted people to exercise the Right to Information (RTI) to ensure proper utilisation of funds for development.
He said, "The union government allocates about Rs 800 to 1000 crore per annum to the state of Punjab for various programmes such as rural development and Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), among others, which are to be spent through zila parishads."
Tewari added that the state government does not contribute its share in the central schemes and funds are also not being properly utilised by the zila parishads. This is why there was no development in the state, he said.
Talking about the power of RTI, Tewari added, "The UPA government has strengthened the common man with the power of RTI through which everyone has a legal right to know how much amount has been sanctioned and how much has been spent. All panchayat's and citizens are free to seek details of development funds from the zila parishad."
{{/usCountry}}Talking about the power of RTI, Tewari added, "The UPA government has strengthened the common man with the power of RTI through which everyone has a legal right to know how much amount has been sanctioned and how much has been spent. All panchayat's and citizens are free to seek details of development funds from the zila parishad."
{{/usCountry}}The state government should come up with a white paper on the state economy, said the Ludhiana MP. He added that if no central grant is given to Punjab, the state will have to face financial bankruptcy as it is currently unable to even pay salaries to its employees.
Congress leaders including Jagpal Singh Khangura, Major Singh Mullanpur, Manjeet Singh Bharowal, Pawan Dewan, Kaka Grewal, Ranjit Singh Mangat, Telu Ram Bansal, Purshottam Khalifa, among others were present at the function.