Congress rejects budget proposals of Punjab government

Main opposition Congress today rejected the budget proposals presented by Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa in the state assembly today describing it as a "cruel joke with the people".

Main opposition Congress on Wednesday rejected the budget proposals presented by Punjab finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa in the state assembly today describing it as a "cruel joke with the people".

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Leader of Opposition Sunil Kumar Jakhar told reporters outside the assembly that "its not even a budget, but mere statement of accounts just to stay within the norms of Planning Commission".

He said that the state governments had miserably failed on all fronts and could not fulfil even a single promise the SAD made in its election manifesto.

The budget proposals are "mere cosmetic attempts" to reduce the state's debt, he said adding that no provisions had been made to increase the amount paid through pensions, Shaghun scheme and unemployment allowance.

On the fiscal front, the state government failed to address a single problem, he said adding that "it appears that the finance minister failed in fiscal management completely."

It seems that the state government is relying more on borrowing just to keep the fiscal debt down but this will soon put the state under severe fiscal crunch, he said.