Punjab Special Package: Congress Seeks All-Party Support

Chandigarh, May 18 (PTI) The Congress' Punjab chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Sunday sought an all-party consensus to seek a special package from the Centre for "saving" the state's economy.

He urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to seriously pursue the issue of a special package for Punjab with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In a statement, Warring appealed to all political parties to unite for the sake of Punjab and press the Centre for a bailout package for the state.

He offered his party's full support and cooperation in seeking a special package, saying the state was badly in need of it.

The Ludhiana MP said he had received "disturbing" feedback from industry leaders who had claimed it was difficult to survive and sustain in Punjab under the current circumstances.


"Punjab's debt is mounting every year. Let us not indulge in any blame-game anymore and deal with the issue collectively," he urged Mann and leaders of other parties, saying saving the state's economy might be the primary task and responsibility of the government but the consequences of its failure would have to be borne by everyone.

Warring warned against the consequences of a "collapsed" economy that would lead to widespread unemployment and, eventually, law-and-order problems.

He said the state government's ongoing campaign against drugs would be meaningless if it was not coupled with Punjab's economic revival.

A few days ago, Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa sought from the Centre a package for the growth and development of the state's six border districts -- Fazilka, Ferozepur, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Amritsar.

Bajwa had demanded the introduction of a robust economic stimulus package to foster long-term stability and growth in Punjab's border areas.