Development work by Cong govt in Pb left SAD leaders 'issueless': Balbir Singh Sidhu

Punjab minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday said that due to the "commendable" developmental work of the Congress government in the state in the last two-and-a-half years, the opposition Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has now been reduced to an "issueless party". He claimed that the SAD has "literally turned into a private limited company", rather than a party which is concerned for Punjabis.

Addressing a Congress rally on the occasion of a fair held here, about 40 km from Ludhiana, Sidhu claimed that SAD leaders are clueless as they do not have any issue to raise against the present Punjab government in the upcoming by-elections. Earlier, the Punjab government had a debt of around Rs 40,000 crore, but due to "mismanagement and poor policies" of the previous SAD-BJP dispensation in the state, this debt became Rs 2.25 lakh crore by the time Amarinder Singh became chief minister in in 2017, he said.

Highlighting the achievements of the Congress government, the Punjab health and family welfare minister said it has ensured that the youth stay away from drugs and are provided employment. He said Sarbat Health Insurance Scheme has been started by the state government for the betterment of the people of the state and 70- 80 per cent people have been covered under it.

Besides, special emphasis is given towards strengthening the education and infrastructure, Sidhu said, adding the Amarinder Singh government is committed to fulfilling all its poll promises, due to which the SAD does not have any issue to take to the masses for upcoming by-elections. Lashing out at the Narendra Modi government, he said that due to its "anti-people policies", the country is "slowly becoming slave of industrial houses on economic front".

Sidhu also alleged that the Modi government has failed to redress any of the problem's being faced by Punjab.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)