He also took the opportunity of the pre-Budget meeting organised by the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) at Haryana Bhawan, Sector 3, to lash out at the "baised" BJP-led National Democratic Alliance though Badal-bashing dominated his address.

Accusing former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee of ruining Punjab's "investment culture" and being the "biggest culprit" for granting territorial concessions in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, he said Punjab would fight its way back to the top.

Assuring the business fraternity that the long-pending capital subsidy arrears would be "resolved to the satisfaction of the industry in the Budget", Mr Singla said that creation of infrastructure was a priority with the government.

"The concept of the government lordship is outdated. While we will provide infrastructure, the cost will be shared by the users. Nearly 1200 km of road will be completed soon on BOT basis," he stated.

Commenting upon the power crisis in the state, Mr Singla laid emphasis on power reforms. He disclosed that the government had planned to generate 3000 MW of power in Punjab in the next three years. In addition, the Punjab Government is also keen to enter into an agreement for setting up a 1000 MW capacity project out of Punjab to cater to the state power requirement, the FM observed.

Strongly recommending entry of private capital in power generation, Mr Singla said that nobody was willing to come on the condition that power was to be sold to the electricity board. "Setting up a power generation plant takes about three years. The previous government didn't do its job. Not 1MW of power was added during Badal's term. We will move this project and work for Punjab's future," he explained.

Mr Singla expressed satisfaction over the fact that industrial houses were no longer looking for tax concessions but availability of infrastructure. "This is a positive development for us. Industry in areas with tax concessions will wither away once they are off," he asserted.

He condemned the Badal-led previous government of keeping mum when Mr Vajpayee was doling out territorial concessions and discriminating with Punjab. "How can a Prime Minister use fiscal policies to destroy one state and benefit the other?"

Mr Singla said that the media was the biggest enemy of the truth for believing Mr Badal's claim that he brought the Bathinda refinery project to Punjab. "The Congress Government at the Centre approved the Bathinda refinery project and land was acquired for the same. The Vajpayee Government merely laid the foundation stone and claimed it was theirs. The media is the biggest enemy of the truth for believing Mr Badal rather than checking the facts," he rued.