Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal with his Haryana counterpart ML Khattar
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today met his Haryana counterpart Manohar Lal Khattar at his residence in Chandigarh and held detailed deliberations to further increase cooperation between the two states in the areas of agriculture, tourism and road connectivity.
A spokesperson of the Punjab Chief Minister's Office described this meeting as a courtesy call to respond to Mr Khattar's personal invitation to Mr Badal.
During the informal interaction, both the Chief Ministers agreed to support and cooperate to further intensify their efforts for promotion and diversification of agriculture in Haryana and Punjab, he said.
Mr Khattar informed Mr Badal that Haryana has a Mushroom Research and Development Centre at Sonipat and Centre of Excellence for citrus fruits at Sirsa.
The farmers of Punjab could get the benefit of experience of Haryana in these sectors. Farmers have a deep attachment with their crops and they produce foodgrains with their diligent efforts, Mr Khattar said.
But today the production is being affected thus both the states should work together and take initiatives to increase their income, he said.
In the meeting, Mr Khattar and Mr Badal agreed for widening of Ambala-Banur road for better connectivity to new airport terminal here.
Both the Chief Ministers also had a common opinion for construction of an underpass to link the old terminal with the new one for easier access to Chandigarh and Panchkula.
Mr Khattar also stressed the need to promote tourism with help from Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The Haryana chief minister said that this would help in developing a tourism circuit from Kurukshetra-Amritsar upto Himachal and attract both Indian and foreign tourists thus giving a boost to the tourism in a big way.
Earlier today, Mr Khattar and his Cabinet colleagues gave a rousing welcome to Mr Badal by offering him bouquets.
On the occasion, the Punjab Chief Minister inspected a guard of Honour and took salute from a contingent of Haryana Armed Police led by its Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ajit Singh.
Prominent amongst others who were present on the occasion included Haryana Assembly Speaker Kanwar Pal, Haryana Cabinet Ministers Anil Vij, Om Prakash Dhankhar, Kavita Jain, Abhimanyu and Rao Narbir Singh.