Amritsar, Jan 25: The border district of Amritsar today witnessed a "development wave," as Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP and the Working President of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), laid the foundation stone of 16 projects in Majitha constituency in Punjab's Amritsar District, to be completed at the cost of Rs. 32 crores.

In a whirlwind tour of Amritsar, Badal accompanied by Punjab Information and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia laid the foundation stone of 220 KV power grid sub-station at Majitha, and 66 KV sub-stations at Nag Kalan, Wadala Veeram and Dhade to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 22 crores to strengthen the power distribution infrastructure in the border district. The work of setting power stations in the constituency would be completed within two years.

With the commissioning of grid sub-stations at least 40 villages in the region would get quality electricity supply.

Badal also laid the foundation stone of a sub-tehsil office at Majitha to be constructed at the cost of Rs 30 lakh.

Punjab Government is making special efforts to make the State power surplus during the next five years as Rs. 12,948 crore, one third of the total allocation of the 11th plan, has been assigned to the power sector, Badal told reporters.

Badal said that 6000 MW of power was available to the State at present, while the demand was for 9000 MW, adding that the Government was anxious to double its capacity within next three years to make it a power-surplus State.

The Punjab State Electricity Board plans to install 1800 MW Thermal Power Plant at the Talwandi Sabo, for which basic mandatory studies have been completed, he said. In addition, 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant at Rajpura would come on BOO (build, operate and own) basis. Moreover, Punjab has share in five ultra mega power projects.

Badal laid the foundation stone of five NABARD schools at Nag Kalan, Bhangali Kalan, Chawinda Devi, Mattewal and Ram Diwali, and one Airtell school in Chananke and one Government school in Kotla Sultan Singh, to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 2.90 crore.

Badal also laid the foundation stone of Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Nag Kalan and three grain markets at Sohian Kalan, Wadal Veeram and Dhade to be constructed at the cost of Rs. 3 crore and Rs. 2.60 crore respectively.

The Government would observe year 2008 as the year of employment and development, he said, adding that laying four-lane expressways would be his top goals.

Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fishery Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike announced that the State Government has chalked out a plan to set up new veterinary hospitals and polyclinics and to upgrade the existing infrastructure with the cost of Rs. 30 crore. He also announced to set up a veterinary hospital at Harrian village in Majitha.

MP Navjot Singh Sidhu announced a grant of Rs. 1.75 crore for the developmental works to be spent within next six months in Majitha. He also declared Rs. 2 lakh for Youth Club of Mattewal village. (ANI)