North News
Chandigarh, November 29
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Friday solicited fulsome support and cooperation from the World Bank to further combat the major problems being confronted by the state. During a meeting with World Bank Country Director for India Auguste Tano Kouamé, the Chief Minister presented a strong case for financial assistance to the state. Bhagwant Singh Mann highlighted the state government’s commitment to fiscal and institutional resilience besides emphasising the need for financial support to drive growth, improve public services and enhance the overall quality of life for its citizens. He showcased state’s strong reform agenda, focusing on fiscal prudence, improved governance and enhanced service delivery as a key factor in its quest for financial assistance.
The Chief Minister said that the proposed financial assistance is expected to support Punjab’s development priorities, including infrastructure development, human resource development and social welfare initiatives. He said that with this significant development, Punjab is poised to take a major leap forward in its journey towards prosperity and growth. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the environment is the major thrust area of the state government and it is giving top priority to the conservation of groundwater.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is reviving old water resources and trying to provide canal water to the maximum part of the irrigation land thereby reducing the consumption of electricity on one hand and checking the depletion of groundwater on the other hand. He said that lining of canals, reviving of old watercourses (Khals) and other initiatives are being taken so that farmers can able to use maximum surface water. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to strenuous efforts of the state government in the last two years groundwater level has increased by around one metre.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government has designed a program for solarisation of Agricultural pump sets adding that it will increase the income of farmers manifold. He said that in five years the state government can rapidly solarize the major part of the Agricultural pump sets. Dwelling on another issue Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is mulling to incentivise the farmers to switch out the paddy.
The Chief Minister said that rice is not the staple diet of Punjab but the farmers of the state are cultivating paddy to meet the needs of the entire nation. He said that there are alternative crops such as pulses, Maize and others but the need of the hour for value addition of these crops to encourage the farmers. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is already mulling over various projects to save the environment.
The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed for developing Punjab as an export hub for fruits and vegetables. He said that due to the hard-working and resilient farmers of the state and the fertile soil, Punjab’s agricultural productivity is higher in the world and state government is looking for crop diversification. Expressing concern over the presence of lead and Heavy Metal presence in groundwater, Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the World Bank to launch a project on the lines of one launched in Uttar Pradesh to facilitate the people.
Giving an affirmative response to the issues raised by the Chief Minister, Auguste Tano Kouamé said that they are mulling the idea to cooperate in this sector as World Bank already cooperated with a project in Uttar Pradesh. Batting for regular meetings with the state government, he said that this will streamline major things. The chairman said that the World Bank team was impressed by Punjab’s determination to implement transformative reforms.
Auguste Tano Kouamé also acknowledged the state’s potential for growth and development and expressed their willingness to support Punjab’s endeavors, recognizing the importance of a strong and resilient public financial management framework. He said that the Bank is looking for cooperation areas and fiscal prudence, Data Sharing, and services in large cities. Auguste Tano Kouamé also admired various projects initiated by the Punjab government and said that the bank is willing to replicate in other parts.
