[www.tribuneindia.com]

New Delhi, September 14

Punjab was adjudged as number one state in the country at the fifth ‘India Today State of States conclave’ here today.

According to a spokesman, Punjab scored on the major parameters of growth and development, including management of macro economy, agriculture and infrastructure development.

Receiving the award from Vice-President M H Ansari, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal dedicated the achievements to “the will, sacrifice and hard work of the people of the state.”

Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP, said the award should silence those, who had been criticising the progressive policies of the state government.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda too called for adequate increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of various agricultural crops in view of the increasing cost of agricultural inputs.

He said keeping in view the interests of the farming community, the Contract Farming Act has been implemented so that the farmers get remunerative price for their produce.

Hooda said steps have been taken to mitigate the problems of farmers by reducing the rate of interest on crop loan from 11 per cent to 7 per cent as also by waiving interest on payment of outstanding loans.

The state economy, he said, has witnessed an excellent growth of 12.6 per cent in gross state domestic product over the last year’s level at current prices.

It's hard to believe that Punjab has been placed as number one state. Punjab is not getting any new heavy industry and is far behind in getting IT industry in Punjab. The whole IT boom is being enjoyed by Banglore, Hydrabad and now Calcutta and Delhi. All heavy industry is going to Gurgaon (Haryana) and Gujrat. What is Punjab number one in?

The only thing Punjab has is the NRI money flowing in from Punjabis living in UK, Canada and USA. I have been visiting Punjab every year for the last three years but I have not noticed any real industry coming to Punjab. The only good news was the plan by Volkswagon to setup a manufacturing plant near Ropar in Punjab but this plan too has not manifested into reality yet.

What is the media talking about?

Kulbir Singh

I have a suspicion that it may be some (false) balm to soothe the collective ill feeling many sikhs have about the Indian states mistreatment of Punjab...b/c it just doesn't add up.

for the punjab it was agriculture that made is so rich but with this caste of jatts and them running around and bragging about something their great great great grampa did they don't think they need to go to school and get educated and because they got so much land to survive on and brag about while spoiling their children who are given no responsibility because their family is jatt and has more then enough money so their kid doesnt' have to work and can do what ever he wants who ends up doing drugs and becoming an alcholic who's only plans for the future is having relatives that live abroad in america england canada austriala will get him into the country were he can be a janitor and the once who don't get to go abroad have to split their farm land with rest of their family and when their's to little to go around they go hang themselves and ppl blame the banks and government for to much interest on those idiot loans they get to buy that car to show off to their neibours. Parants need to have relationship with their children and stop spoiling them and get involved in their lives in punjab.

but im not surprised punjab has had progress but badal doesn't deserve the credit the credit is due to captain amrinder singh who is probably the best cheif minister india ever had but badal is going to take the credit for captain amrinder singh and use it to help him in the next election while he gets away running a corrupt government robbing the ppl while he is a puppet for bjp andrss.

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh.

India Today is a magazine on the decline....this is one way of attracting attention and readers and govt support from the likes of Badal who are always looking forward to chmacha giiree.

I am surprised so many esteemd posters on this Forum failed to catch on to this shoddy trickery..media is all about lies..the more lies..the better the sales - but its afalse notion..people are not that sttupid..thus IT will still be declining.

Sikhs should be wise to such trickery...