Chandigarh: Senior SAD-BJP leaders fromAmritsartoday expressed their profound sense of gratitude to Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal for overseeing  the process of holistic development of the holy city on the basis of a Rs 2,000 crore master plan.

In a joint statement here, the SAD-BJP leaders, including Industries minister Anil Joshi, chief parliamentary secretary Inderbir Singh Bolaria, BJP vice president Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina and  senior BJP leader Tarun Chugh said they understood that not only had the government initiated unprecedented development in  Amritsar but also the fact that the process had been speeded up with Deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal laying the foundation stone for development works worth Rs 25 crore yesterday.

“We also understand that projects worth Rs 500 crore will start in the next few months with tenders of various works already being initiated”, the leaders said adding “never earlier has so much been planned and implemented forAmritsar”. The leaders said they were in fact grateful to Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief minister  Sukhbir Singh Badal that the government had not allowed any negativity from any quarter to come in the way of its mission to not only make Amritsar a religious–cultural hub but also a world city in its own right”. They said they on their part would not allow any distraction to come in the way of the government’s commitment to developAmritsar.

Meanwhile Industries minister and senior BJP leader Anil Joshi said the SAD-BJP government had fulfilled its commitment to the development ofAmritsarduring its last five year tenure. “It is because of this that the people voted the SAD-BJP government back to power in 2012”, he said. The minister said he also wanted to put on record the fact that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal had held regular meetings with the BJP leadership and that all the development works had been discussed and approved jointly by the SAD-BJP leadership.

Meanwhile CPS Inderbir Bolaria said development of the holy city would continue, be it the issue of cementing of small streets, to laying down of sewerage or even big ticket projects. He said some projects had got completed while others including beautification of entrances to the city as well as giving a historical façade to the area around the Darbar Sahib would be taken up soon. “The fact that few projects are yet to take off on the ground does not mean development is not taking place as has been voiced in certain quarters”, he said adding the development was an entire process which included planning, arranging finances and execution of works from reputed companies. “As far as I can say the people of the city are also satisfied with the development projects initiated by the SAD-BJP government”, he added.