ASSEMBLY SESSION - Power dream needs 3 more yrs: Sukhbir
Pawan Sharma
HindustanTimes
CHANDIGARH

: Holding paperwork as the reason for not being able to fulfill the main pre-election promise of "making Punjab power-surplus in three years", Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on Wednesday admitted in the Vidhan Sabha that the state will achieve this target after three more years.
In his maiden speech in the Assembly on closing the near- ly six-hour debate on the motion of thanks on Governor's address, Sukhbir held the Congress responsible for all the ills afflict- ing this border state.

His counter-offensive revolved around the "continuous neglect" of Punjab by the UPA govern- ment, "discrimination and injus- tice" with farmers and Akali governments, and not taking action against the culprits respon- sible for the anti-Sikh riots.

However, his comparisons that in 47 years of its rule the Congress derailed the state and the Akalis were behind the devel- opment in Punjab drew ire of the Opposition. Finally, he restricted himself to what the SAD-BJP had done so far against the Congress rule in 2002-07.

In the 90-minute address, which saw many disruptions from the Congress, Sukhbir avoided confrontation.

As the Opposition and SAD- BJP MLAs engaged themselves in sharp verbal duels, Speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon had a tough time in ensuring order.

The Deputy Chief Minister blamed the Congress for power woes and credited his govern- ment for taking steps to make Punjab power-surplus. "We are not responsible for power cuts.
The fault lies with the Congress," he said, in sharp contrast to the SAD poll promise of 24-hour supply.

The Congress was quick to remind him his pre-poll prom- ise of making Punjab power- surplus within three years.
"Thermal power plants are not like a wheat and sugarcane crop which you harvest in four months," he shot back. "After three years Punjab will be the first state to have surplus power as work on 4,540-MW projects is underway," he said.