Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal today held the previous Congress governments in the state, responsible for the deteriorating fiscal and economic scenario due to unplanned policies and programmes.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at Sarai Pattan village during a 'Shaheedi' conference organised to pay tributes to the 34 Akali activists who were killed in an accident near Tarn Taran in 1982. The activists were arrested from Amritsar while participating in the 'Dharam Yudh Morcha' and were being shifted to Bathinda when a train rammed into the bus carrying them near Tarn Taran.

The Morcha was launched by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) in support of the state's demands, including transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi speaking areas to Punjab and the river waters issue.

In his address, Mr Badal called upon the people of Punjab to strengthen the unity and integrity in the state as propagated by the great Gurus.

He said that acting in a responsive manner SAD-BJP Government had initiated a continuous pace of overall development in the state and had successfully maintained peace and harmony. He assured that his government was committed for overall development in the state.

Underlining the various development projects initiated by the SAD-BJP government, the Chief Minister said that for achieving new heights in the power sector, an action plan had been chalked out to transform the state from a power deficit to power surplus state within next four years.

He said that rural education was being accorded the top priority.

Reiterating the commitment of his government for the setting up of one Adarsh School in each block of the state to ensure quality education to the poor but intelligent students. He said that in addition to this the government had also embarked upon an ambitious programme of upgradation of three existing schools in every assembly constituency.