Jalandhar: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today announced a slew of development works for the city and a grant of Rs 363.43 crore for the implementation of various ongoing and new schemes.

The Chief Minister, who was on his first visit to the city since assuming office, held a workers' meeting and addressed the media where he announced various development schemes, including a Rs 1,000 crore ADB project for 'canal water for drinking purposes'.

The project, for which the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is already conducting a feasibility study at a cost of Rs 3 crore, would, once implemented, resolve the drinking water problem in all major cities of the state, including Jalandhar, he said.

Installation and development of water systems, sewage treatment plant, roads, streets and streetlights are some of the other development works for which the state government had decided to inject the much-needed funds in the city for its infrastructural development.

The financial crisis faced by his government will not be allowed to obstruct the development of any region, the chief minister said. Making a slew of announcements for Jalandhar, Amarinder Singh said he had sanctioned Rs 50 crore for expediting the smart city project, along with new development works worth Rs 42.43 crore.

The Rs 346 crore AMRUT scheme also received a shot in the arm, with the state government sanctioning Rs 190 crore for the execution of several critical works under the same.

The chief minister also unveiled a Rs 81 crore grant for ongoing work and meeting of liabilities under the Urban Mission (PIDB).

Besides one-time settlement of property/house tax, the government has also announced one-time settlement of old arrears of water and sewerage charges, he said.

Reservation of 50 per cent seats for women in Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), free-of-cost houses for homeless people and subsidised houses for economically weaker sections under the 'Shehri Awaas Yojna' were some of the welfare initiatives undertaken by the government, Amarinder Singh said.

Jalandhar was of critical interest to the accomplishment of this goal and the government would continue to initiate new schemes to strengthen the infrastructure of the city, he said.

Amarinder Singh promised that funds would also be made available for rural development in the area, which, like the rest of the state, had been "ruined" by the "anti-people" policies of the previous government.

The chief minister praised Local Bodies & Tourism Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for his effective utilisation of the meagre resources to further the government's development agenda.

Earlier, addressing the workers' meeting at DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology, Sidhu said the E-Seva service announced by the Chief Minister would be launched soon and online transcripts of layout plans of residential properties would become available.

Sidhu described himself as a loyalist of the chief minister and said he would remain loyal to Amarinder Singh "as long as blood flows in my veins" while lambasting Akali leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Bikram Singh Majithia over their "false and senseless" statements alleging the contrary.