Patiala: Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal along with the Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal today dedicated the first unit (700 MW) of 1400 MW Super Critical Rajpura Thermal Power Station (RTPS) constructed by internationally acclaimed engineering giant L&T here amidst lot of fanfare and enthusiasm thus declaring ‘Punjab as the only power surplus state’ in the country.
CM declares ‘Punjab as the only power surplus state’ in the country
Addressing a mammoth gathering here at village Mirzapur, the Chief Minister said that with the commissioning of RTPS, the SAD-BJP alliance government has fulfilled one of its major promises under the flagship program to make Punjab not only self-reliant in power sector but also surplus so that it could sell additional power like food grains, which would not only strengthened our state’s economic position but also speed up the process of its overall development and prosperity. He said, “We all are well aware of the fact that power is the crucial factor which was instrumental for the growth of the state be it in agriculture, industry, domestic or service sector and now the scarcity of power will be a story of the past”.
Highly appreciating the initiatives taken by Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal, the Chief Minister lauded him for makingPunjabas surplus state in power besides ensuring an overall infra structural growth and development in terms of the best road, Air and Rail connectivity to boost the tempo of economic activity across the state. He credited Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal for implementing new ideas to showcase Punjab as the major investment destination in the near future across the globe adding the Chief Minister said he was confident that the day was not very far of when the big investors/ entrepreneurs not only from the country but from the other parts of the world would be vying to set up their ventures because an investment mood has been set into motion and two days progressive Punjab Investors Summit slated to be held in Mohali from December 9-10 was also a pointer towards his commitment to emerge Punjab as the most preferred investment destination not only on the industrial map of the country but also across the globe.
In his address Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that from now onwards besides catering the Power need of state, Punjabwould also sell power to other states in the country. The Deputy Chief Minister said beginning of Power generation from Rajpura Thermal plant was a gift for Punjabis on 86th birth anniversary of country’s great political stalwart Mr. Parkash Singh Badal. He said that Power, Road and Air Connectivity, Industrial Transformation, welfare of all sections of society and holistic development ofPunjab were the key agendas of SAD-BJP government, which were being implemented in a phased manner.
Announcing to spread wings of SAD in national politics, Deputy Chief Minister said that the next target of SAD is Uttar Pradesh and it would field its candidates in UP on those seats having Punjabi population. Advising PPCC Chief Mr. Partap Singh Bajwa to learn a lesson from these results, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that with the humiliating defeat of Congress in the recently concluded assembly polls in four states the last rites of the party has been performed and now it was better for the state Congress President not to dream in broad daylight as there was hardly any possibility of party’s any revival in near future adding he said that the SAD-BJP government has undertaken such phenomenal development projects in power, infra structural and now industry which would certainly enable them to comfortably rule for next 25 years in the state.
Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Rajya Sabha MP Mr. Balwinder Singh Bhunder, Cabinet Ministers Mr. Surjit Singh Rakhra, Mr. Sikander Singh Maluka, Mr. Madan Mohan Mittal and Mr. Chunni Lal Bhagat, State BJP President Mr. Kamal Sharma, Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Mahesh Inder Singh Grewal, Media Advisor to Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Jangveer Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretaries Mr. NK Sharma, Babu Parkash Chand Garg and Mrs. Mohinder Kaur Josh, MLAs Mrs Varinder Kaur Loomba and Justice (Retd.) Mr. Nirmal Singh, former MPs Prof. Prem Singh Chandumajra and Mrs. Amarjeet Kaur, former MLAs Mr. Ranjeet Singh Talwandi and Mr. Mohan Lal Banga, Chairman District Planning Committee Ludhiana Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria, Chairman District Planning Committee Patiala Mr. Deepinder Singh Dhillon, former Minister Mr. Ajaib Singh Mukhmailpur, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. KJS Cheema, Secretary Power Mr. Anirudh Tiwari and Chairman PSPCL Mr. KD Chaudhary.