Chandigarh, Oct 30 — Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday announced party's next government in Punjab would provide power to the industrial sector at Rs 5 per unit, besides creating a new department by the name of 'Build Punjab' to provide time-bound clearances to builders and give top priority to establishment of new IT and Artificial Intelligence facilities in Punjab.
The SAD President, who held an open interaction with the trade and industry along with party's trade and industry wing President N.K. Sharma, said that industry had become unviable in Punjab due to high power rates of Rs 10 to Rs 12 per unit.
He said that besides bringing down these rates, the next SAD government would allow industrialists to install their own solar power plants which would bring down their power rates to Rs 1.50 per unit.
He also announced that like the Invest Punjab Department established by the previous SAD government to ensure time-bound clearances for new investment, a Build Punjab department would be established under the next SAD government.
"The department will be liable to issue all permissions to builders within one month."
He also announced that change of land use (CLU) charges would be reduced and the entire process of granting CLU would be made completely transparent.
He said a one-time settlement scheme would also be announced for all irregular colonies.
Badal said the next SAD government was committed to giving 75 per cent subsidy for purchase of milch animals and asserted that Section 307 would be imposed on all those who indulged in adulteration of milk.
He also announced that SAD believed in trusting the citizens of Punjab and that it would enforce self-attestation to remove all paperwork and would make all permissions online to ensure no citizen had to go to any government office for official work.
He said the SAD government would also take up the issue of freezing of 2.5 per cent commission of arthiyas (middlemen) while procuring foodgrains.
"The interests of small transporters who are being made to pay four years tax in advance will also be looked into. Chemist shop owners will also not be harassed and their complaints that habit forming drugs are being sold from online platforms in Punjab will also be looked into," Badal added.