Badal pleads for more financial autonomy to states

Bathinda, Apr 14 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today pleaded for more financial autonomy to states, urging the Central Government to review the Center-State relations in the changed scenario.

He was interacting with mediapersons here after addressing CII Cotton Award Ceremony for excellence in cotton production in Punjab.

He asked regional parties to play a constructive role for seeking more financial powers for the states because the ruling political parties at the Centre normally ignored the interests of the states, thereby hampering the process of development and growth.

The Chief Minister pointed out SAD and DMK were the two parties who raised this issue and consequently ''our party was dubbed as anti-national for taking this justified stand''.

Giving an example of the construction of the link roads, Mr Badal demanded that this should directly be under the control of states so that they could decide themselves about the construction of roads in accordance with their requirement and priority.

He described the states as merely dignified municipal corporations in the present context of Centre-state relations.

While answering question, the Chief Minster said that he had recently called on five Union Cabinet Ministers to seek financial aid for Punjab under various Centrally Sponsored schemes.

He said he was taken aback by the remarks of these Ministers that nobody ever bothered to take any initiative for the development of the state during the last five years.

Mr Badal asked the people how they could expect of any development or welfare from the Congress Government that cared least for state's growth and prosperity during their last tenure despite hollow claims of spectacular development.

UNI