Development in Punjab chiefly due to Modi-led BJP Govt, at Center: Sunil Jakhar

Development in Punjab chiefly due to Modi-led BJP Govt, at Center: Sunil Jakhar

Chandigarh, May 19

People of Punjab across all spectrums chiefly benefited from the mammoth funds provided by the Modi-government in the last 10-years of the BJP rule at the Center, Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar said here in Chandigarh today.

The benefits of the massive funds disbursed by the Modi government under its flagship and other schemes penetrated right up to the last mile, he said. “Be it social security, agriculture, health, infrastructure, welfare, railways, housing, power, nutrition, road network or employment, Punjab received enormous central assistance in the last decade that has been instrumental in elevating Punjab on the socio-economic pedestal,” Sunil Jakhar said addressing newspersons.

Highlighting the schemes and its corresponding impact, both economic and social, Sunil Jakhar said while the BJP at the Center has continued to help Punjab grow without bias, the people of Punjab can now see through the false narrative propelled by the ruling AAP dispensation under Bhagwant Mann which has failed to live up to many of its poll promises. “Funds from the Center to Punjab have been the lifeline of development all three years. Its benefits have percolated to the last man standing,” Jakhar said.

Sunil Jakhar said, the BJP with its schemes and massive fund allocation in Punjab has connected with every household in the state. “Funds for building houses, water supply, electrification, toilet, bulbs and fans have been provided by BJP. Free Ration for food under various Central schemes: Affordable healthcare, subsidized medicines under Ayushman Bharat, Poshan Abhiyaan and National Health Mission: Financial Security under MNREGA, various skill development schemes for jobs, pension, funding for small business, funds for street vendors have been provided to Punjab,” he said, adding that for farmers, Kissan Samamaan Nidhi, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, Soil Health Card scheme and subsidy on fertilizers given by the BJP helped to augment income of farmers in Punjab.

In the agriculture sector, he said under the Center’s Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, nearly 22.5 lakh farmers in Punjab received a whopping Rs 56,754 crore in the last 10-years. The KCC Scheme aims at providing adequate and timely credit to the farmers for their agricultural operations. “Under the Kissan Samamaan Nidhi scheme, the Center provided Rs 4758 crore to farmers. Under the Soil Health Card scheme, 24.50 cards were made in Punjab for farmers,” he said.

Jakhar listed certain schemes and the funds given by the Center that led to development in Punjab. He said, under the Prime Minister’s Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), a Central assistance of Rs 836 crore provided job opportunities to 2.31 lakh people in Punjab by creating nearly 29000 self-employment ventures in the state.

“Under the Center’s flagship National Health Mission (NHM), Punjab received an assistance of Rs 4173 crore in 10-years. Under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, as many as 86.94 Lakh beneficiaries were made in Punjab. This scheme provides financial protection up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to cover expenses in case of hospitalization,” Jakhar said.

Under MGNREGA, Jakhar said, a whopping Rs 7197 crore was given to Punjab by the Center with 27.40 lakh beneficiaries in the state. “Under the Jan Dhan Yojana, Punjab witnessed 90.49 lakh beneficiaries with Central funds of Rs 4187 crore reaching the beneficiaries through DBT. Under the Mudra scheme, 83.12 lakh people in Punjab benefited with an amount of Rs 59,391 crore of Central assistance,” the state BJP chief said.

“The Mann led AAP government has failed to deliver. Development in Punjab is largely because of the schemes and funds provided by the Modi-led BJP government at the Center,” he said.

Under the Kaushal Vikas Yojna, nearly 4.19 lakh candidates were provided skill training through money provided by the Center, out of which 3.39 lakh persons were placed, Jakhar said, adding that under the Swachh Bharat Mission, a total of 6.56 lakh toilets were made in urban and rural household with the Central assistance of Rs 787 crore provided in last ten years. “Under the Railway Infrastructure Project, in Punjab Rs 13,227 crore was spent by Centre on 12 projects. 1570 km of railway line work was started and 159 have been commissioned,” Sunil Jakhar said.