Bathinda
Harsimrat Kaur Badal (SAD)
Questions asked: ---
MP lad funds utilised: Rs 3.53 crore
attendance: ---
Initiatives Taken
Unkept Promises
Strengthening her mass base, Harsimrat is spending considerable time in her constituency, meeting people and listening to their grievances. Locals feel she is walking into the footsteps of her father-in-law Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. Harsimrat visited more than 24 villages and distributed grants worth Rs 5 crore recently
Performance in Parliament
Harsimrat hit the headlines recently when she took on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, alleging: “Rahul is misleading people. He doesn't even know the exact place where this food park is to be setup in Amethi.”
Being a minister, she is not expected to raise questions against her own government. She gets a few questions to answer.
‘Focus on rural development’
}My priority is to get NREGA grants back to villages. I have sought a time schedule for repairing of irrigation channels (Kotla branch) in my constituency under a Rs 1,000 crore project. I am working on a plan for greater public participation in the Nanhi Chhan campaignRs
Opposition’s take
Manpreet Singh Badal, People’s Party of Punjab, says: “Despite being a minister, Harsimrat failed to press upon the Centre for getting financial package for Punjab. Farmers too have not been compensated for their crop loss. She remained mum over cut in centrally sponsored schemes in Punjab worth more than Rs 2,500 crore.”
Gurdaspur
Vinod Khanna (BJP)
Questions asked: 6
MP lad funds utilised: Rs 1.32 crore
Attendance: 97%
Initiatives Taken
Unkept Promises
The actor-turned-politician, Khanna joined the BJP in 1997. He was first elected from Gurdaspur constituency in the 1998 Lok Sabha elections. He became Union Minister for Culture and Tourism in July 2002. He also remained Union Minister of State of External Affairs.
‘What I promise, I deliver’
I am a politician with a difference. If I promise something to my voters, I will ensure that the residents get it. During my last three terms as an MP, I had promised to get bridges constructed over the Ravi, Ujh and Beas to improve road connectivity of Gurdaspur with other cities and I delivered on that front. I got constructed nearly six bridges. I have now promised to establish a sugar mill at Narot Jaimal Singh. It will come up soon.
Opposition’s take
Sucha Singh Chottepur, AAP state convener, says: “When nearly 20 Punjabi boys went missing in Iraq, Khanna did not bother to get in touch with the families. He comes once in a month in the constituency. He failed to take up the matter of re-introduction of freight equalisation policy which is implemented will provide big relief to Batala industrialists.”
Jalandhar
Chaudhary Santokh Singh (Cong)
Questions asked: 18
Attendance: 97%
MP lad funds utilised: Rs 1.75 crore
Initiatives taken
Unkept promises
Representing Jalandhar where the SC population is as high as 33 per cent, the MP has been consistently raising the matter pertaining to “diversion” of funds for Dalits for other purposes by the state government.
Performance in Parliament
The 18 questions Chaudhary Santokh Singh has asked pertain to poor lifting of wheat from mandis, manned and unmanned railway crossings in the country, cases of accidents pending with the railway tribunal and their status, old-age persons in the country who are below poverty line, rewards for medal winner sportspersons in Punjab and state-wise fund allocation for roads covered under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna.
‘Can’t do much being in Opposition’
Since we are in the Opposition both in the state and Centre, I can only raise issues concerning the masses. I have been pressing for the setting up of AIIMS at PIMS, but to no avail. Those at the helm of affairs are more responsible for not doing anything. They have failed to deliver.
Opposition’s take
Pawan Tinu, Akali CPS and MLA from Adampur who unsuccessfully contested against him, has commented, “The MP has failed to get any scheme or project specifically for Jalandhar. He has never made round to Delhi to press upon any needs of the residents. All what he has done so far is implementation of Centre schemes which are for every constituency. He has not gone around with people and taken note of their problems.”
Fatehgarh Sahib
Harinder Singh Khalsa (AAP)
Questions asked: 23
Attendance: 86%
MPlad funds utilised: Rs 1.23 crore
Initiatives taken
Harinder Singh Khalsa served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from Bathinda during 1996-98 as a member of the Shiromani Akali Dal. In 2014, he joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and was elected as an MP from Fatehgarh Sahib.
Performance in Parliament
Khalsa didn’t participate in any debate in the Parliament. Didn’t make any comment Khalsa failed to furnish information on the funds that he got sanctioned for the area. He refused to comment on his performance during the last year.
Opposition’s take
“The MP has failed to fulfil any of his promises that he made to the electorate. He also doesn’t get in touch with the masses and fails to address their grievances,” said Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Congress leader.
Ferozepur
Sher Singh Ghubaya (SAD)
Questions asked: 14
Attendance: 78%
MP lad funds utilised: Rs 3.75 crore
Initiatives taken
Unkept promises
From being an accountant at a brick kiln to a two-time parliamentarian, Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya today is one of the tallest “Rai Sikh” leaders in the state. Ghubaya was introduced to politics by his mentor-turned-foe Zora Singh Mann in 1997.
Performance in Parliament
Ghubaya took up the issue of relief for flood-affected farmers in Parliament. He participated in 24 debates. During his last term, Ghubaya asked 51 questions and participated in 12 debates.
Will fulfil all promises
}Mine is a vast constituency with over 1,600 villages. I am committed to fulfil all the promises I have made to the people. But it takes time to finish projects. This year, my priority will be to provide better healthcare facilities in border villages. I will also try to improve access to potable water.Rs
Opposition’s take
“Ghubaya has not been able to raise a single issue concerning the development of the region in Parliament. He has been more of an MP of Jalalabad as he has only been concentrating on his home turf.” --Congress leader, Sunil Jakhar
Sangrur
Bhagwant Mann (AAP)
Questions asked: 25
MP lad funds utilised: Rs 2.61 crore
Attendance: 79%
Initiatives taken
Unkept promises
Going through the works done for the welfare of common man by the MP and his performance in Parliament in the past one year, he can be considered as an MP of the masses. His office in Sangrur has so far received 630 applications and complaints, of which nearly 600 have been settled.
‘Satisfied with my performance’
My office remains open on all days. Anyone can walk in with his/her problem even on a holiday. The health and education sectors are my priorities. I have allocated a major part of MPLAD funds for these sectors.Rs
Opposition’s take
Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, secretary general, SAD, says: “If I will say something about the performance of Bhagwant Mann it will be treated as a statement of a political opponent. So people of the constituency are the best judge to assess his performance.”
3
4