BREAKFAST MEETING OF PUNJAB & HARYANA CM’S

Chandigarh, September 16 – Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal met Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal at his residence here today and held a detailed deliberations to further increase the cooperation between two states in the areas of agriculture, tourism and road network.

          While stating this here today, an official spokesman described this meeting over breakfast as a courtesy call as the Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal personally invited his Punjab counterpart for breakfast meeting. The Haryana Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues gave a warm welcome to Mr. Badal by offering him bouquets. Apart from this, Punjab Chief Minister inspected a Guard of Honour and took impressive salute from the contingent of Haryana Armed Police on this occasion.

          He said that during informal interaction over breakfast, both the Chief Ministers have agreed to support and cooperate to further intensify their efforts for promotion and diversification of agriculture in Haryana and Punjab.

          Mr. Manohar Lal informed Mr. Badal that Haryana has a Mushroom Research and Development Centre at Sonipat and Centre of Excellence for citrus fruits at Sirsa. The farmers of Punjab could get the benefit of experience of Haryana in these sectors. Farmers have a deep attachment with their crops and they produce foodgrains with their diligent efforts. But today the production is being affected thus both the states should work together and take initiatives to increase their income. Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Badal said that Punjab is leading state in the country in fish production.

          He said that in the meeting, Mr. Manohar Lal and Mr. Badal agreed for widening of Ambala-Banur road for better connectivity to new international airport terminal. Both the Chief Ministers also reached to a common opinion for construction of underpass to link the old terminal with the new for easier access to Chandigarh and Panchkula. Mr. Manohar Lal also stressed the need to promote tourism in states of Haryana, Punjab upto Himachal. He said that this would help in developing a tourism circuit from Kurukshetra-Amritsar upto Himachal and attract both Indian and foreign tourists thus giving a boost to the tourism in a big way.

          Later, the Haryana Chief Minister honoured Mr. Badal with a shawl and memento as a token of love, affection and respect on behalf of people of Haryana.

          It may be recalled that Haryana Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Lal has invited his counterpart Mr. Badal to visit him during the grand finale of World Cup Kabaddi held at village Badal last year.

          Those present on this occasion included Speaker Haryana Vidhan Sabha Mr. Kanwar Pal Singh, Haryana Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu, Agriculture Minister Mr. Om Prakash Dhankar, Health Minister Mr. Anil Vij, PWD (B&R) Minister Rao Narbir Singh, Urban Local Bodies Minister Mrs. Kavita Jain, Haryana BJP President Mr. Subhash Barala, MLA Mr. Tejpal Tanwar, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Haryana Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal, Special Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Punjab Mr. Gaggandip Singh Brar, DGP Haryana Mr. Yashpal Singhal and other senior offic