Union minister Parkash looks to bring big industry to Hoshiarpur

Union Minister Som Parkash said Monday he looks to work in tandem with the Punjab government for promoting the industry in the state.

Spelling out his priorities for his Hoshiarpur parliamentary constituency, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry said that he will try his best to bring big industry, rail connectivity and health care services to the constituency.

He was speaking with reporters during his first visit to Phagwara, which falls in Hoshiarpur Lok Sabha constituency, after being inducted into the Union Cabinet.

"I will love to work in tandem with state government so that Punjab's industry flourishes," Parkash said.

To a query about various steps to resolve various problems faced by the industry, the minister said, "The department is quite big. I will study it and then spell out the measures in coming 15-20 days for solving problems of industries in general and those of Punjab in particular.

 

Claiming that his induction as a minister in the Narendra Modi cabinet came as a huge surprise to him, Parkash said, "I did not believe when a phone call came from the PMO on May 30 at about 12:30 pm about my induction into the council of ministers. I rang back again to confirm it," he later told a public gathering here Monday.

It was Phagwara which Parkash had represented twice in Punjab Vidhan Sabha as BJP MLA.

He informed that he had submitted his resignation as MLA to Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker on June 3.

With his resignation, Phagwara assembly seat has fallen vacant and will go in for a bypoll later.

Parkash declined to comment on statement of former Punjab BJP president Kamal Sharma who has favoured a bigger share of seats which the saffron outfit contests in the assembly and in the general elections in alliance with its ally SAD.

"SAD-BJP alliance is going good and our relationship is quite strong",he remarked.

"Our cadre is rock strong and we will winhands down the bypoll too whenever these are held," he said.