SAD-BJP govt committed to maintain peace in Punjab: Sukhbir

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today reiterated his government's resolve to maintain peace in the state and warned anti-national elements against creating any disturbance.
"We have got peace in the state after a decade of sustained efforts of our police forces and nobody would be allowed to fiddle with it," he said while addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at an Independence Day function here.
Lauding the role of security forces, Sukhbir said there was no major terror attack in the state, "as our police force could take preemptive and preventive measures busting three major militant modules (in the recent past)."

"Within the next three years, we will change the state's urban skyline as we have finalised our plans for upgrading rural and urban road infrastructure, air connectivity and are widening the ambit of social welfare schemes," Sukhbir said.
Announcing a Rs 24,000 crore plan for 13,047 villages in the state, he said private companies would undertake projects like concrete roads, sewerage network and treatment plants in those villages.
"Mohali International Airport would be ready within 18 months, Bathinda airport is ready for operation and the upgraded Sahenwal airport will be dedicated to the nation next year," Sukhbir said, adding that the government has already requested an airport at Jalandhar and plans are afoot for another international airport at Machhiwara.

The deputy chief minister said, the state government has approved a three-phase plan for overall turnkey development of water supply, sewerage network, up-gradation of power distribution network, LED street lighting, up-gradation and expansion of internal road network and installation of CCTVs all cities of the state and has set aside Rs 40,000 crore for the project.
Meanwhile, there were reports of rains playing a spoilsport in Independence Day celebrations at Mohali, Bathinda, Ludhiana and Faridkot and forcing cancellation of cultural events at few venues.