CHANDIGARH: With assembly elections a few months away, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made 10 election promises to Jalandhar traders and businessmen, development and upliftment of industry, trade and commerce, if AAP forms the government in Punjab.
At the programme titled 'Kejriwal's Talk with Traders and Businessmen' at Jalandhar, Kejriwal said, "You have tried the Congress-Captain and the Badals, now give us a chance. We do not need funds from businessmen, we just need support."
Kejriwal first promised to introduce 24x7 uninterrupted power supply as at present Punjab is rife with long power-cuts, which derails the industry's day-to-day operations. Second, Kejriwal announced he will end red-tapism and 'Inspector Raj'. He said corruption runs in the system because of the bad intentions of the governments.
"If there is an honest CM and cabinet, I can challenge that the entire structure below will be all right. We did this in Delhi. Old laws will be rectified and unnecessary laws will be scrapped. A system will be built wherein existing industries will be able to invest their time in business," he said.
Third, Kejriwal promised a VAT refund to the businessmen between three to six months, and an installment system will be made for big refunds. His fourth promise was to strengthen infrastructure. He said 80 percent of industries were located outside the focal point with roads, water and sewerage problems; which AAP will solve by bringing a budgetary provision.
Fifth, Kejriwal promised end of enhancement charge. Sixth, he said that change of land use and other hassles will be ended in industrial zones, with an automatic intimidation only. The seventh promise pointed at eradication of ‘monthly’ and ‘weekly’ extortion along with 'goonda tax'.
In his eighth promise, Kejriwal said a joint body of businessmen-traders will be formed, headed by a minister. "Decisions will be taken at the same meeting, and the government will implement them immediately," he said.
Law & order will be strengthened: CM
IN his ninth promise, Arvind Kejriwal said that peace, law and order would be strengthened in the state. In his tenth announcement, he said that small traders and MSMEs would be given more emphasis to generate employment