Punjab to develop Ranjit Sagar Dam as tourist destination

Ranjit Sagar Dam and lake, ideal for water sports activities and eco-tourism, will be developed as an international tourist destination, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said today.
Shivalik (Dhauladhar) Tourism Development Board (SDTDB) has been established and a feasibility report also prepared for this project, he said.
Star category eco-resorts, convention centre, facilities for water based and adventure activities would be provided around the lake, Sukhbir said while addressing a gathering of traders at Pathankot near here.
He also launched traders' health insurance scheme which would facilitate them to get free accidental death and disability cover of Rs 5 lakh, health insurance cover of Rs 50,000 (including family members) besides fire insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.

Around 2.33 lakh traders would benefit from this scheme, the deputy CM said.
About strengthening basic infrastructure, he said that after making Punjab "a power surplus state", the government has set the target to connect all major cities with 4 to 6 lane roads with an investment of Rs 22,000 crore.

"Besides this, 100 percent water supply and sewerage facilities would be provided in all towns," Sukhbir said, adding the government would recruit more than 1.13 lakh youth in all major departments in coming months.
Claiming that Punjab is among the least indebted states, he asked the opposition parties not to mislead people on the fiscal position and said even progressive nations took productive debt to bolster their economies.

Sukhbir also said the government has confiscated huge quantities of narcotics which were being smuggled from across the international border.
"Punjab is fighting the nation's war to curb the menace of narco-terrorism," he said, adding even Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should thank Punjab government for its concerted efforts in seizing huge amounts of drugs before it could reach Delhi.