Harbhajan Singh Demands Amritsar Airport Expansion for More Flights to Canada and USA
Harbhajan Singh, a former cricketer and now a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has called for the expansion of Amritsar Airport. He wants a new terminal and more flights to Canada, the USA, and other countries to help Punjabis who currently have to travel to Delhi for international flights.
In an interview, Harbhajan Singh said, “For the last 3 days in the zero-hour, we have put a notice to discuss the issue of expanding Amritsar Airport because many Punjabis head to Canada, the US, etc., but there aren’t enough flights from Amritsar. They have to come to Delhi, which costs them extra for petrol, hotels, etc. We want the construction of a new terminal at Amritsar airport and an increase in the number of flights to Canada, the US, etc.”
He emphasized that around 10 lakh Punjabis live in Canada, and the recent agreement to increase flights between Canada and India did not include Amritsar. He believes this expansion would greatly benefit the people of Punjab.
Harbhajan Singh also criticized the BJP-led NDA government for the Union Budget 2024-25, claiming it favored only one or two states and neglected Punjab. He urged the government to avoid discrimination between states, highlighting Punjab’s significant contributions to national development.
Following the boycott of the NITI Aayog meeting by the INDIA bloc and Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Harbhajan Singh supported the decision. Mann explained that Punjab was denied special status and other benefits, such as the Rural Development Fund and GST share, which justified the boycott.
Mann stated, “Punjab should be given special status but it has been denied its rights. Our Rural Development Fund is being stopped. Tableau of Punjab is not being displayed on Republic Day. Our share of GST is not being given to us. In the whole budget, there is no mention of Punjab. So why would we go there?”
He added that Punjab contributes significantly to the nation’s food supply and security but receives no budget allocation, accusing the Prime Minister of jeopardizing the youth’s future for his own benefit.
Doubts Revealed
Harbhajan Singh -: Harbhajan Singh is a famous former Indian cricketer who played for the Indian national team. He is now a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha, representing the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Amritsar Airport -: Amritsar Airport, also known as Sri Guru Ram Dass Jee International Airport, is an airport in Amritsar, Punjab. It serves as a major gateway for people traveling to and from Punjab.
Canada and USA -: Canada and the USA are countries in North America. Many people from Punjab live in these countries, so there is a high demand for flights between Punjab and these places.
Union Budget 2024-25 -: The Union Budget is the annual financial statement presented by the Government of India. It outlines the government’s revenue and expenditure for the upcoming year. The 2024-25 budget is the one being discussed here.
NITI Aayog -: NITI Aayog is a policy think tank of the Government of India. It aims to foster cooperative federalism by involving the states in the economic policy-making process.
CM Bhagwant Mann -: Bhagwant Mann is the Chief Minister (CM) of Punjab. He is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and has been critical of the central government’s policies towards Punjab.
Special status -: Special status refers to special privileges or financial assistance given to certain states in India to help them develop. Punjab’s CM is upset because Punjab did not receive this special status.
