Attari : Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has promised a special industrial package for the border belt along with filling three lakh vacant govt jobs, calling unemployment one of the biggest problems in the border areas.




Sukhbir made the assurance during a door-to-door visit programme in Cheecha village on Wednesday.




“We also have a plan to establish centres of proposed World Skill University in each district. Youth will also be eligible to become entrepreneurs by availing a proposed Rs 10 lakh interest free loan,“ he said.




The SAD president, who visited five households in the village, urged people to list the five top expectations from SAD if voted to power. Urging the people to fill forms, he said the party would release its election manifesto on Nov 1 after taking feedback from the grassroot level.




“The women told me that open sale of drugs is destroying an entire generation. They are worried about their sons not getting jobs leading to depression and falling prey to the drug mafia ,” Sukhbir said, adding people were demanding the revival of social welfare benefits initiated by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal .




“People were telling him that they were getting 30 kg of wheat during the SAD tenure but now getting only 10 kg. I assure to increase this to 50 kg at Rs 4 per kg once our govt is formed,” he said.




Sukhbir assured ensure top-class education and extension of medical facilities. “We will make it compulsory for all private schools to reserve 50% seats for poor students. We are also committed to establishing medical colleges in each district,“ he said.




Senior party functionaries Gulzar Singh Ranike, Raja Ladhe, Surjit Pehalwan and Mukhwinder Singh Khaaparkheri were among others present on the occasion.