Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi welcomes Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur on March 23

Demands opening of Hussainiwala border, put up the multi-specialty hospital on time bound frame, increase of Rs.500 on MSP for Rabi season, Set-up Railway University named after Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh,

Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi welcomes Narendra Modi’s visit to Ferozepur on March 23

Ferozepur, March 21: Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, a senior congress leader & Vice President, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee and MLA, Guruharsahai stated that he was immensely pleased to welcome the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji who is visiting Hussainiwala on March 23, 2015 to pay homage to the great Patriots Shahid-e-Azam, Bhagat Singh and Rajguru & Sukhdev, who were martyred by the then British Govt., and cremated at this place.

Rana Sodhi appealed to the Hon’ble Prime Minister to consider opening of Hussainiwala Border with Pakistan as trade point on the pattern of Wagah-
Attari Border.  Rana Sodhi further stated that Hussainiwala used to be a thriving trade centre between India & Pakistan till the hostilities between that two countries broke out in 1971 and this trade centre was closed on security considerations.

Rana Sodhi recalled that Ferozepur was the most prosperous District till the closure of this trade centre.  The people from business community and general category were engaged in trade and other related employments.  Being located on the fringe of Indo-Pak border, due to security considerations, no big industry could come up in this area. As a result thereof lot of unemployment has cropped up in this area which has turned it into the most backward area in the state.  Taking advantage of the situation, the anti-social & anti-national elements are luring the unemployed youth into drug and other illicit trade activities.  In the process, the youth themselves have become chronic drug addict.  Almost every household in my constituency, particularly has lost one or more members on account of drug addiction/ cancer.

Now that India & Pakistan are actively engaged in increasing trade activities and have already opened Muzaffarabad trade centre for trade from J&K, it would be most appropriate to consider opening Hussainiwala trade centre between the two countries

Rana Sodhi demanded that a multi-specialty hospital be set up in Ferozepur which has large occurrence of drug addiction, cancer and other life threatening diseases.  He appealed to the Prime Minister, who has often pronounced his love for Punjab to put up the multi-specialty hospital on time bound frame.  There is no such facility within the radius of 100 km in Ferozepur.

Rana Sodhi recalled the public announcements made by the Prime Minister about his utmost concern for the farmers and appealed to the PM that the MSP for the Rabi season be increased by Rs. 500/-over and above the present MSP in view of the high cost of inputs like fertilizer which the farmers have to purchase in black market due to its short supply, diesel and other pesticides and insecticides etc.  Since Punjab is an agrarian economy, Rana Sodhi demanded that a Food Processing Plant should be located in Ferozepur which has great potential for lsuch a venture.

Lastly, Rana Sodhi demanded that out of the three Railway Universities proposed to be set up by the Ministry of Railways, one may be allocated to Ferozepur, which is the oldest Railway Division since British days.   This Railway University may be named after Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, which will be the most appropriate tribute to his martyrdom.

The above initiatives would return the old prosperous days to Ferozepur area which will ultimately add to the overall prosperity of the state, he added.