Too early to say Centre friendly to Punjab: Sukhbir

Patiala, July 7 (UNI) Acting SAD president and PM Sukhbir Badal today asserted that it was premature to declare the UPA government, led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, ''friendly'' to the SAD-BJP Government in Punjab.

''In just over three months, we cannot conclude that the UPA government in the Centre is more friendly to Punjab than previous Congress governments,'' Mr Sukhbir said here at a news conference.

Mr Sukhbir said that even though the Centre had generously sanctioned projects in Punjab, ''we cannot exonerate Congress of its previous misdeeds''.

He claimed that it was the leadership of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal which succeeded in persuading Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give sanction to various projects in Punjab and the state had already expressed its gratitude towards the personal initiative of Dr Singh in sanctioning the Bathinda Refinery Project.

Mr Sukhbir said that SAD- BJP Government was committed to augment 5000 MW power within next five years, in addition to 6200 MW power presently being generated in the State.

The Railway Ministry has assured the Punjab government to provide more rakes for the transportation of coal for the thermal plants, he said.

Mr Sukhbir said that after the completion of the process of land acquisition for thermal plants, to be setup in Mansa, Nabha, Abohar and Rajpura, the construction on these plants will be started from January next year and would be completed in next 36 months.

UNI