Punjab CM sought help from the World Bank to solve the serious problems of the state

Chandigarh, 29 November– Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today sought full support from the World Bank to address the serious challenges of the state.   During a meeting with August Tano Kwame, Country Director of the World Bank in India, the Chief Minister strongly presented the state’s case for financial assistance. Bhagwant Singh Mann emphasized the need for financial assistance to strengthen the financial and institutional structure of the state government, promote development, improve public services and raise the standard of living of the citizens. Demonstrating the state’s concrete agenda for these reforms, he said that the purpose of seeking this financial assistance on his behalf is to focus on financial prudence, better governance and efficient service delivery.

The Chief Minister hoped that the financial assistance of the World Bank would provide a strong base to the development priorities of the state. He said that this assistance will accelerate infrastructure development, human resource development and social welfare initiatives. He said that with this important cooperation, Punjab is fully prepared to take a big step towards prosperity and development.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Environment is the priority of the state government and their government is giving top priority to ground water conservation.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is reviving the old water sources and trying to provide canal water to the maximum part of the fertile land. This will not only reduce power consumption but will also help prevent falling groundwater levels. He said that many steps are being taken like strengthening the banks of canals, reviving old ditches and encouraging farmers to use surface water more. He said that due to the continuous efforts of the state government in the last two years, the ground water level has increased by about one meter.

The Chief Minister further said that the state government has prepared a program of solar energy based motors for farming. This will increase the income of farmers many times. He said that in the next five years, the state government will be able to make a large number of agricultural motors based on solar energy. Discussing another issue, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is making new policies to encourage farmers to leave paddy cultivation and cultivate alternative crops.

The Chief Minister said that rice is not the staple food of Punjab, but the farmers of the state are cultivating paddy to meet the needs of the entire country. Pulses, Maize and other crops need to be promoted and the support price of these crops needs to be increased. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government is already considering various projects to save the environment.

The Chief Minister said that the state government is committed to develop Punjab as an export center for fruits and vegetables. He said that the agricultural productivity of Punjab is the highest in the world due to hardworking farmers and fertile land. The government is also trying to encourage farmers to adopt crop diversification. Expressing concern over the presence of heavy metals and other elements in the ground water, the Chief Minister requested the World Bank to start a project in Punjab on the lines of the one underway in Uttar Pradesh.

While agreeing to the issues raised by the Chief Minister, World Bank Country Director August Tano Kwame said that they are considering increasing cooperation in this area. He said that the World Bank has already cooperated in this type of project in Uttar Pradesh. Talking about holding regular meetings with the state government, he said that this will clarify many things. The Chairman said that the World Bank team was impressed by Punjab’s determination to implement revolutionary reforms.

Acknowledging Punjab’s potential for development and progress, August Tano Kwame emphasized the importance of a strong and flexible public financial management framework and expressed his willingness to support Punjab’s efforts. He said the World Bank is exploring areas of collaboration, financial expertise, data sharing and other services in big cities. August Tano Kwame appreciated the various projects initiated by the Punjab government and said that the bank is considering adopting these projects in other parts of the country as well.