Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that there was no opposition by political parties on development issues concerning the state.
"On the issues of development concerning Punjab there is no political opposition," he said.
Badal was addressing a gathering at the foundation stone laying ceremony of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre here on the outskirts of Chandigarh in Mohali district.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid the foundation stone of the Rs 450 crore project.
"Punjabis have come together above party-lines for the cause of development of Punjab," he claimed even as the Prime Minister listened on.
The five-time Punjab Chief Minister thanked the Prime Minister for taking "personal interest" in bringing the hospital to Punjab and urged him to give attention to the "landlocked" state which has been affected by partition and militancy.
Pointing towards a limited gathering on the occasion, Badal said, "people of Punjab have love and respect for you (Manmohan Singh)... But our efforts in bringing a huge number of people here were stopped by directions from the Centre."
"I personaly love you (Manmohan Singh) even more than any of the Congress MLA," Badal said on a lighter note.
The Chief Minister said the state government is making all out efforts to eliminate cancer by providing world class treatment and diagnostic facilities at affordable prices.
The Chief Minister said this project would synergize the state government's efforts to upgrade cancer treatment facilities in Punjab especially with the setting up of advanced cancer treatment centres in Government Medical Colleges at Amritsar, Patiala and Faridkot at a cost of Rs 300 crore besides 100-bedded cancer hospital in Bathinda under the auspices of Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Mumbai.
Badal said the state government had already created a dedicated fund of Rs 300 crore to enable the patients for availing treatment upto Rs 1.50 lakh.
He also announced that from Wednesday the state government would launch a cashless treatment scheme to provide the best cancer care facilities to patients in 16, including 10 private, empanelled hospitals.
