Akali Dal-BJP is a social alliance: Jaitley

The BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal partnership was not only a political alliance, but a social one aimed at strengthening the bonds of peace, communal harmony, amity and brotherhood in Punjab, union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday.

The Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party have been running an alliance government in Punjab since 2007.

Addressing a rally in this Sikh holy city after the central urban development ministry announced Amritsar to be covered under the Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojna (HRIDAY) scheme, Jaitley said Punjab led the country on the important fronts of agriculture and defence.

"Punjab being a cradle of Indian civilisation led the country in the arena of agriculture and defence for which it was aptly known as the sword arm and granary of the nation," he said.

Jaitley assured Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal that a crop insurance scheme for farmers would be announced soon and farmers would get compensation for crop loss without any delay or harassment.

Speaking on the occasion, union Urban Development Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said the holy city has been selected for the HRIDAY scheme with a proposed budget of Rs.68.45 crore.