PHAGWARA: Former Punjab Minister and AAP leader Joginder Singh Mann today sought a grant worth Rs 101 crore for Phagwara from
the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
The former Punjab Minister, met the Chief Minister today and urged him that Phagwara is hub of Doaba region and being on national highway it
has its own strategic importance. However, he bemoaned that due to apathetic attitude of the successive state governments Phagwara has
lagged behind in the pace of development. Citing an example Mann said that he was elected as MLA from Phagwara for the first time in 1985
and at that time the Phagwara civil hospital was 30 bedded.
Mann said that he had ensured that it was upgraded to 100 bed in 1988 but after that no upgradation has taken place. He said that Phagwara
assembly segment has both rural and urban areas which cry for basic civic amenities. He said that there are Around 91 villages in rural
sector and 50 wards in urban areas which have been hitherto denied development due to which people are suffering.
He urged the Chief Minister to sanction a special package worth Rs 101 crore for Phagwara so that this can be emerged as a model city of the
state. Mr Mann also reiterated his demand that Phagwara must be elevated as District so as to give a major push to its development on
one hand and facilitate the people to get their routine administrative works done on the other. He said that residents have to travel 40
kilometers from Phagwara to Kapurthala for getting their routine administrative works which causes lot of harassment to them besides
wasting their time, money and energy.
He also thanked the Chief Minister for acceding to long pending demand of Phagwara residents for ensuring trauma centre like facilities in
Phagwara civil hospital. He said that this pro-people initiative will give a huge relief to people.