Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday demanded the setting up of a constituent assembly to frame a fresh Constitution for the country along "genuinely federal lines" as the present Constitution was "not in tune with requirements of changing times".
Winding up the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor`s address in Punjab Assembly, Badal alleged states had been gradually reduced to the "status of beggars" as the meagre powers given to states were progressively eroded by the Centre. He said the constitution was not in tune with the requirements of the changing times and as a result the country was not able to fully utilize its potential for development and prosperity.
Badal said states were best qualified to understand and address the problems of the people in an effective manner.
"Shiromani Akali Dal was the first to raise this demand because it is in the interest of the country to grant autonomy to the states". Pleading for recasting of formula for devolution of funds to states, Badal said "strong states mean strong nation."
He demanded 50 per cent of the revenue collected by the Centre should be given to states to carry out development works according to their felt needs.
He pointed out that the norms devised by the Centre for the distribution of resources and devolution of central funds were "too stringent" to deliberately exclude states like Punjab from these centrally-sponsored schemes.
The Chief Minister made a strong pitch for transfer of Chandigarh and other Punjabi-speaking areas to the state and declared "Chandigarh is the soul and spirit of Punjab and must be transferred to us without further delay."
He also demanded a resolution of the river water dispute as per the national and internationally accepted riparian principle forthwith.
PTI