Punjab Govt's allegation against UPA Govt "illogical" : Congress

Jalandhar, Aug 23 (UNI) The Congress today said the Punjab Government's allegation of discrimination against the state by the UPA Government at the Centre was ''illogical'' and ''baseless''.

''These are totally false and baseless charges of SAD and BJP just to cover up their failures in the eyes of the peoples'', All India Congress Committee Spokesman Munish Tiwari said while addressing a press conference here.

''What the UPA has done for Punjab, no other previous governments have done so far'', he said adding that in the 11th plan more than 10,000 crore have been sanctioned by the government for the overall development of Punjab. ''What else they want from UPA'', he asked?.

While denying the charges of discrimination against Punjab, he said that for the betterment of Rural Water Supply Programme, the UPA government had issued funds of Rs 90 crore for the state though its eligibile limit was Rs 80 crore.

Even for the development of sanitation in Punjab , the Centre had allocated a fund to the tune of Rs seven crore though the state government did not make any proposal for it.

For Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Rs 164 crore was sanctioned last year and for the current financial year the amount has been increased to Rs 241 crore, he added.

Mr Tiwari said under Jawahar Lal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission, Rs 140 crore was sanctioned last year which has been increased to Rs 275 crore in the current fiscal. The overall total grant allocated to the state for this year was Rs 730 crore, he added.

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