Punjab Governor for early resolution of inter-state issues

Chandigarh, March 3, 2014: Reiterating Punjab government's firm commitment for an early resolution of inter-state issues, the Punjab Governor Shivraj V Patil also strongly pleaded for cooperative federalism in the country, in which states and centre were equal and responsible partners in progress.   
Addressing the members of Punjab Vidhan Sabha in his inaugural address the third budget session of the 14th state assembly, the Governor mentioned that several important issues relating to the state still remain unresolved adding that the state has been denied its capital, Chandigarh and vast Punjabi speaking areas have been left out of it at the time of reorganisation in 1966. The deadline for the purpose of transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab was set by the Government of India (GoI) as January 26, 1986, which has not been done so far. He said that Punjab also reiterates that the agreed arrangement on the ratio of representation to Punjab and Haryana in the services in the Union Territory of Chandigarh might be preserved by the Union Government in the light of assurance given by it.
Stressing on the need for expeditious implementation of 'Riparian Principle', the Governor said that this important issue based on this nationally and internationally accepted Principle with regard to utilisation of water of the rivers passing through the State, must be disposed off accordingly. He said that Punjab already faces severe water crisis with ground water level going alarmingly down because of excessive reliance of our farmers on tube well irrigation. Keeping in view, this problem needs to be resolved expeditiously, which has unfortunately not been done so far.
Justifying the rationale behind the cooperative federalism in the country, the Governor demanded that the share of states in central taxes be increased from the present 30% to 50% and that these funds should be given to states in an untied manner. He said that Punjab was in favour of creating a situation in which the principles of federalism were accepted, advocated and practised fully. It also feels that the financial strength and autonomy should be given to the State so that the demands of the people were addressed and met in an expeditious and just manner. He said that the state Government was in a better position to understand and address the problems of the people of the state. National priorities on development need, therefore, be recast in a manner in which the State’s and overall interest of the nation were fulfilled.
Underlining the need and state's commitment for the promotion of Punjabi language, Patil said that the Punjabi language should not only be promoted in the state where it was the mother tongue and language for official communication, but also in states where there was a sizeable presence of population of Punjabi origin.
Calling upon the GoI to take effective steps to punish the guilty and provide credible relief to innocent victims of the 1984 Sikh Massacre, the Governor mentioned that the wounds of thousands of innocents who were made brutal targets of cruelty in Delhi and several other parts of the country in November 1984 still cry out for justice and relief. The principal culprits responsible for this inhuman carnage were well recognized and identified by various respected legal and other luminaries, including leading voices from the media, but even thirty years after the tragedy, ‘the long arm of law’ has not been allowed to reach them. Some of them were in fact rewarded for their gory deeds with high positions including berths in the Union Cabinet. In such an atmosphere, people’s faith in the fairness of the system was certain to take a beating.
Dwelling on the state's economy especially its industry, the Governor said that it has been suffering badly because of concessions given by the Government of India to the neighbouring States. Punjab as a strategic border state deserved similar, if not better concessions as given to its neighbouring states. Although the Progressive Investors Summit organised by the State recently brought all the big industrial houses and captains of business and industry and has created a suitable atmosphere for industrial investment yet the existing policy of the tax concessions by Government of India to our neighbouring States, was creating problems for the State. Therefore, to facilitate the development and investment in the State, our Government urges the GoI to extend to Punjab, the concessions given to our neighbouring States. He said that Punjab felt discriminated in economic matters as the State has not received any major large scale central project, except the Bathinda Refinery which it got during the tenure of Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Expressing great satisfaction over Punjab being a symbol of peace and communal harmony in the country, the Governor said that this was a good achievement of our Government because it has been made possible despite severe locational and historical disadvantages. He stated Punjab was a border State with a long, live and hostile neighbourhood. This makes the achievement of our Government in maintaining peace and communal harmony in the State remarkable adding Patil said that this has been made possible because of mature and enlightened vision of those who govern the State and the attitude of the people and vigilance and alterness of the law enforcing agencies. In addition to this, state government has effectively ended the unseemly atmosphere of political confrontation from the State. It was perfectly legitimate for political parties and leaders to advocate different political philosophies and beliefs and to exercise their right for dissent in a civilised, peaceful and democratic manner. He said that the state Government has led from the front in creating an atmosphere of mutual trust, based on constructive consensus and conciliation.
Meanwhile, the Governor briefly highlighted the significant achievements of the state government in the fields of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Power, Industries and Commerce, Health and Family Welfare especially the war declared on Cancer, Medical Education and Research, Law and Order, Local Government, Welfare of Schedule Castes and Backward Classes, Social Security, Women and Child Development, Finance, Irrigation and Drainage, Public Works (B&R), Water Supply and Sanitation, Rural Development and Panchyats, Revenue, Excise and Taxation, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Cooperation, Housing and Urban Development, Civil Aviation, Information and Technology, Forest, Labour, Employment Generation and Training, Science Technology and Environment, Technical Education and Industrial Training, NRI Affairs, Personnel, Planning, Border and Kandi Areas, Punjab Energy Development Agency, Sports and Youth Services, Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Vigilance, Information and Public Relations and Governance Reforms.
Summing up his address, the Governor emphasised that the principle ingredient of our Government’s vision of Governance was peace and communal harmony with development.  The last seven years have seen Punjab emerge as the vanguard of the nation for the establishment of a society in which all citizens live in peace and work together for the betterment of the state and the country. He said that while development was a result of the far-sighted policies, perseverance and hard work of our government, peace and communal harmony in the state was a tribute to the commitment of the people and the government alike to make Punjab a land of dreams which our great Gurus, saints and seers had about the future of our great state and country.
The Governor was confident that discussions and deliberations during this session would be conducted in a most constructive and dignified manner, respecting one another’s views and convictions adding that it was the firm belief of state government that in a democracy, there was room for peaceful, democratic and dignified expression of dissent, and state Government always respected that. Finally he said, "Punjab belongs to all of us; so does the Punjab Government".   //punjab news live, punjab news online, punjab news, punjab news headlines, punjab breaking news, india news, punjab news, world news,

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