Punjab plans Rs 35,000 cr investments

The Punjab government will be spending as much as Rs 35,000 crore for developing power, civil aviation and health tourism sectors, as per an investment blueprint unveiled by the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD).

Instead of the announcement being made by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son and SAD working president Sukhbir Singh Badal told a press conference that the projects in the three sectors would be implemented with private sector participation.

"The projects are part of party's vision for transforming Punjab," he added.

Sukhbir said that as against the installation of 6,000 Mw power capacity in the state in the past 60 years, SAD had envisaged adding another 6,000 Mw in the next three-and-half years to make Punjab a power surplus state.

"The state is embarking on ambitious and path-breaking initiatives in power sector to ensure 24-hour supply to every house, tubewell, business and industrial units," he said.

The new projects include 1,000 Mw from agricultural residues and non-conventional energy sources, and 1,200 Mw each capacity power projects at Talwandi

On the aviation sector, Sukhbir announced plans for creating two international airports at Mohali near here and at Sahnewal near Ludhiana, besides increasing the length of the runway at Amritsar from 8,000 feet to 12,000 feet and setting up a Civil Terminal at the Bhatinda air force station.

Sukhbir said all these projects would be completed with private participation.

Steps would also be taken to turn Punjab into a global hub for health tourism, he said, adding that the government was considering a proposal to introduce health insurance scheme for the poor in the state.