Punjab to seek review of tax incentives to neighbouring states

TALWANDI SABO (PUNJAB): The Punjab government will impress upon the Centre to review fiscal sops granted to neighbouring states, including Himachal Pradesh, saying tax holidays to these states had proved "detrimental" to growth of industry in Punjab.

Stating this here today, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said Punjab would also seek special package for the state's industrial sector from the Centre.

Badal said it has been only three months since the NDA government took over the reins of country, and it "is busy putting the nation back on track of development where the Congress had miserably failed".

On skill development initiative, Badal said there was urgent need to set up skill development centres so that young people could be absorbed by the industry.

Talking about the state government's ambitious project of ensuring better child care and development, the Chief Minister said that government was introducing at least one anganwari in each village.

Badal said the officers have been asked to provide funds for setting up anganwari in all nearly 13,000 villages of the state so that every child gets proper nutrition and care.

He also directed the state officials to ensure that the Prime Minister's Jan Dhan Yojana was successfully implemented.

He directed the state government officials to ensure that the bank account of each resident of Punjab is opened within a month's time so that no one is bereft of the benefit the ambitious central scheme.