Patiala: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh on Tuesday claimed that canal water now reached 80% of the state’s fields, compared with 22% before the Aam Aadmi Party formed the govt, and pledged to extend coverage to all fields.Addressing a ‘Lok Milni’ programme at Jindwari village in Sri Anandpur Sahib of Ropar district on Tuesday, Mann said his govt had laid 14,000 kilometres of pipelines to carry canal water to fields. He also handed cheques of Rs 20 lakh each to six panchayats to accelerate development works.Mann said Punjab should stay away from the BJP and the Akali Dal to protect its waters, its capital Chandigarh and Panjab University. He accused the Congress, the BJP and the Akali Dal of pursuing power while claiming the AAP’s priority was Punjab and its people.He alleged that the BJP repeatedly treated Punjab unfairly over Panjab University, Chandigarh, Bhakra Beas Management Board, Sutlej Yamuna Link canal, Harike canal, Republic Day tableaux, rural development fund and border-area funds.Targeting Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Badal, Mann said the party was seeking an alliance with the BJP to regain power despite previously opposing it. He also accused the previous Akali Dal administrations of patronising the drug trade, shielding those responsible for sacrilege and supporting mafias.Highlighting various initiatives of his govt, Mann said more than 90% of households received free electricity, and farmers were getting daytime power. He said more than 70,000 youths had received jobs without corruption, while 45,000 kilometres of roads were being renovated and upgraded and 3,100 sports stadiums were under construction.The CM further said the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna provided cashless treatment of up to Rs 10 lakh to every resident family in Punjab. He also said the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna provided financial assistance of Rs 1,000 to women above 18 years of age and Rs 1,500 to the Scheduled Caste women, with Rs 9,300 crore allocated in the budget.Education minister Harjot Singh Bains and Lok Sabha MP Malwinder Singh Kang were also present.
