Will set up world-class skill university once SAD assumes power in Punjab Badal

Samrala, Mar 1 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said his party is committed to establishing a world-class skill university once his party comes to power in the 2027 Punjab elections.
     Addressing a gathering here as part of the party's 'Punjab Bachao' campaign, the SAD president said the university would have one college affiliated to it in each district.
     "We will set a target of imparting skill education to 1 lakh youth every year. The industry will be part and parcel of this drive and will train youth as per their requirements to ensure assured employability," Badal said.
     "I am convinced this is the way forward for Punjab. We are already running a pilot project in Muktsar in coordination with L&T and are confident of replicating it across the state," he added.
     Badal also came down heavily on the Aam Aadmi Party government for imposing "tax terrorism" against the trading community.
     "Traders are facing GST raids even as taxation officers have been given targets and are constantly raiding shops and imposing steep penalties on them," he alleged.
     Badal said all this would stop once the SAD government was formed. "The Rahat scheme, which stipulated a one-time tax, will be reintroduced and taxation officers will be barred from entering trading establishments."
     He said neither the Congress, AAP or the BJP were concerned about safeguarding their interests.
     "They only come to rule," he said, adding that in stark contrast the SAD had always stood with them through thick and thin.
     "Even though we now have only three legislators in the state assembly we stood by you during the devastating floods last year when you were abandoned by both the Centre and the AAP government," he added.
     He appealed to Punjabis to extend wholehearted support to the SAD while asserting that they could not afford to experiment any longer.
     Badal also announced that the next SAD government would ensure tubewell connections to all farmers who were bereft of this facility.
     "We are also committed to providing interest free loans of Rs 1 lakh to youth to enable them to become entrepreneurs. We will also provide flour and lentils at Rs 4 and Rs 20 per kg under the Atta - Daal scheme and increase assistance for marriage of daughters of weaker sections to Rs 1 lakh".

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)