145;Special package for Punjab146;s farmers, industry in NDA regime146;

Stating this on Wednesday while launching the 8216;Nanhi Chhan8217; project, a movement against female foeticide and for saving the environment, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the massive multi-crore package will help provide the necessary fillip to farmers and revamp the ailing industry.

He also promised reduction of petrol and diesel prices by at least Rs 10, once the NDA comes to power. Sukhbir said SAD will finalise its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections by first week of January. He confirmed that someone from his family was likely to contest from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat.

Talking about SAD8217;s preparedness for the Parliamentary polls, Sukhbir said the SAD-BJP government had initiated a major development initiative in the state, which would show results in the next two years. He said even smaller towns in the state had received crores of rupees as grants for development.

Sukhbir said the state was planning to launch a revolving fund of Rs 400 crore from next year8217;s budget, exclusively for education. He said he favours the utilisation of existing infrastructure in schools and college to help boost girl education in the state.

The SAD president said the government was planning to start a women8217;s college in every district. Earlier, Sukhbir8217;s wife Harsimrat Kaur launched the Nanhi Chhaan8217; project in this historic town by planting a sapling, and by honouring a few parents, who had only girls.

Harsimrat said over two lakh saplings had been sold as 8216;boota parsad8217; at various religious places. She also called for opening a permanent sapling distribution centre at Fatehgarh Sahib, on the lines of that at the Golden Temple, and at Damdama Sahib in Talwandi Sabo.