SAD-BJP did not support in getting industrial package: Bajwa

A day after Centre extended industrial packages to Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, Punjab Congress today accused SAD-BJP government of not supporting it in getting such a package for the state.

The opposition party in Punjab also blamed the state government for "economic disaster and devastation of industrial sector" in Punjab.

Punjab deserved a similar package for its border districts as given to hilly states but SAD-BJP government did not support the state Congress in getting such a package due to political reasons, Punjab PCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa said.

He said he along with Congress MPs and MLAs had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to give special package to border districts of Punjab.

"Unfortunately, Akalis looked other way and played spoilsport on this issue," he alleged.

Bajwa said the Centre had not given any new package to hilly states, saying it is an extension of package given by NDA government led by Atal Behari Vajpayee when Sukhbir Badal was a Union Minister.

He, however, said he would take up the issue of special package to border areas of Punjab on the pattern of Himachal Pradesh with party high command and Union Industry Minister tomorrow at Delhi.

Bajwa alleged that SAD-BJP government had heavily taxed the industry, raised VAT on raw material and hiked power rates, making the tariff highest in the country.

He said Congress had taken a stand that migration of industry could be stopped, if state government prepared a plan for giving incentives for industry in border districts which are grossly under developed.

Number of units had shifted to hilly states due to unreasonably high tax structure, exorbitant power rates and little scope of expansion, he said.

He charged the SAD-BJP government with failing to submit any feasible plan for expansion of industry and said no concrete effort was made to stop transfer of industry to Himachal Pradesh.