( Justice News)
Amritsar
Today, MLA, former Cabinet Minister of Punjab, and State Chief Spokesperson of the Aam Aadmi Party, Mr. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, presented cheques of ₹5 lakh each as a special government grant to six unanimously elected Gram Panchayats of villages Abadi Sohan Singh, Chharthtewali, Budhewali, Wanjhawala, Pandori Sukha Singh, and Bhakha Hari Singh.
He stated that Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann had strongly advocated for development without discrimination, smooth justice through consensus, and the elimination of hatred-based politics in villages. In line with this vision, it was announced that Gram Panchayats elected unanimously would receive a special grant of ₹5 lakh in addition to regular grants.
Dhaliwal said that, in contrast, previous governments led by Congress, Akali Dal, and BJP had allegedly followed a “divide and rule” policy, encouraging factionalism during Panchayat elections and keeping villages entangled in limited developmental politics for decades. As a result, the condition of basic infrastructure in villages remained poor.
He further informed that, responding to Chief Minister Mann’s appeal, 48 villages in the constituency elected their Panchayats unanimously, setting a record. A total grant of ₹2.40 crore has been released to honour these 48 Gram Panchayats with ₹5 lakh each, and the phased distribution process has already begun.
Dhaliwal emphasized that the nation cannot become strong without rural development. He alleged that the Central Government is weakening rural development initiatives. He mentioned that the 100-day employment guarantee under MGNREGA has been affected, and Punjab’s rightful funds amounting to ₹8,000 crore for upgrading 64,724 kilometers of rural link roads and modernizing 1,966 grain markets have been withheld without justification.
He also alleged that under trade agreements with the United States, attempts are being made to harm farmers by allowing tax-free sale of agricultural produce and pushing changes in the mandi system. He asserted that the Mann Government will not allow such efforts to succeed.
Leave a Reply