One minister says Rs 480 cr released, another says Rs 800 cr… we haven’t received a single rupee: CM Mann

The Chief Minister was addressing media in Chandigarh. He said that Union ministers consider Punjab a tourism destination. “They come, have makki di roti and sarson da saag, and then leave. Every state receives regular funds during a disaster. Even if they hadn’t announced a special package, the money would have come automatically, but we are talking about a special package of Rs 1,600 crore that was announced by the Prime Minister”.

“He (Chouhan) said he will give a report to the Centre. Who gives importance to them? Only two people call the shots there,” Mann alleged, apparently referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

On a question over Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s remarks that his Punjab counterpart was ‘playing politics’ over the recent deaths of two youths on basketball courts in Haryana, Mann said, “When we are in politics, what else should we do? During the India Against Corruption movement (AAP was formed subsequently), they used to say we should join politics as laws cannot be made by protesting on roads. When we joined politics, they accuse us of doing politics”.

In Haryana’s Bahadurgarh, another athlete died in a similar incident, he noted, questioning, “Will sportspersons return dead from the grounds?” Mann asserted that sports infrastructure across the country needs improvement, also noting that India is set to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games following much controversy regarding the event’s management when it was held here in 2010. The Haryana authorities did not utilise the Rs 12-lakh funds for the Lakhanmajra sports ground in Rohtak because they were sanctioned by Congress MP Deepender Hooda, Mann alleged.

“Is expressing condolences at someone’s home political? If it is, then we will engage in this politics 24 hours a day. A 750-kilogram pole fell on a 17-year-old boy. Instead of repairing the sports infrastructure, we are being told not to engage in politics,” he said.

The Haryana chief minister hit out at Mann on Friday over his remarks on the recent deaths of two youths due to collapse of iron poles in basketball courts in the BJP-ruled state, saying it is unfortunate to do politics on these issues.

Mann said that the Commonwealth Games will be held in 2030. “Are we prepared? Or are we to face the same embarrassment again as we did last time when our roofs gave away and our swimming pools leaked?”

‘Will construct 44,920-km roads’

Mann said the Punjab government will construct 44,920 km of road stretches in the state with an outlay of Rs 16,209 crore. This would be the biggest ever road project undertaken by the state, adding that tenders will be issued in this regard.

The project includes construction of 2,829-km Public Works Department (PWD) roads and 18,545 km of rural link roads, at a total cost of Rs 7,727 crore.

Additionally, 22,291-km road stretches under the Punjab Mandi Board, and 1,255 km of urban roads under various civic bodies will be constructed at a cost of Rs 7,697 crore and Rs 785 crore, respectively, he said.

A total sum of Rs 16,209 crore will be spent on constructing quality roads across the state, Mann said, adding that he has directed contractors not to compromise on the quality of materials and work.

He further said villages will pass resolutions stating they are satisfied with the materials used for the roads, and only then money will be released.

Mann said contractors who will get tenders will have to maintain the roads for five years.

Asked whether the Punjab government has received the state’s rural development fund from the Centre, Mann said it had not been released. The Punjab government is funding the road projects on its own, he said.