A day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Punjab visit, State Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan penned a letter highlighting key issues and seeking prompt resolution. Sandhwan emphasized Punjab’s economic challenges stemming from delayed Central funds, feeling neglected in terms of investments and policy support. He also raised concerns about the state’s fiscal autonomy being restricted by diminishing financial rights and a reduced share of Central taxes, impacting federalism principles.
The Speaker expressed distress over Punjab’s severe water crisis, attributing it to unfair distribution of river water to other states and insufficient control over headworks within Punjab’s jurisdiction. This disparity has led to a significant decline in the water table, endangering agricultural sustainability in the state. Sandhwan hopes that the Prime Minister’s visit will bring about positive change and address these pressing issues promptly and compassionately.
Additionally, Sandhwan called for increased flight frequencies at Mohali’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport and Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Dass Ji International Airport. He stressed the need for direct access to international markets for Punjab’s farmers and traders to enhance income and reduce reliance on intermediaries. The Speaker urged the Central government to establish a road trade link to Middle-East countries, facilitating direct export of agricultural products and commodities to boost economic prosperity for the farming community in the northern region.
