Punjab budget: Pay ₹48,000 arrear as well, says BJP, underscores debt

BJP state president Sunil Jakhar said the budget would land the state into an even deeper debt crisis

BJP state president Sunil Jakhar and party’s Punjab Mahila Morcha president Jai Inder Kaur underscored the debt crisis and sought ₹48,000 for every woman, highlighting that the AAP government had made the promise regarding ₹1,000 per month during its campaign for the 2022 elections.

BJP state president Sunil Jakhar

Jakhar said the budget would land the state into an even deeper debt crisis. Talking to reporters in Moga where he oversaw the preparations for the forthcoming rally to be addressed by Union home minister Amit Shah on March 14, Jakhar questioned where the money would come from to fund the promises made in the budget.

“Schemes launched by the Mann government to buy votes without creating sources of revenue will increase the state’s debt burden. Ultimately, the people of Punjab will bear this burden indirectly. The state finance minister himself admitted that the state’s debt would cross ₹4.59 lakh crore. In reality, it could reach ₹5 lakh crore by the end of the next financial year,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jai Inder Kaur said the AAP government once again “betrayed” the people, especially the women of the state. “The state government should release ₹48,000 for every woman as the AAP leadership had promised ₹1,000 per month before the 2022 assembly elections,” she said.

She further questioned the government about the revenue it had promised to generate by eliminating corruption and taking strict action against the sand mafia. “The AAP government repeatedly claimed that ending corruption and illegal mining would bring huge revenue into the state treasury. If that is true, then why is the government unable to fulfil its promise to the women of Punjab?” she asked.

Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu termed as fraud the budgetary announcement for ₹1,000 per month to women. “The state government should give ₹60,000 to women for the entire five-year term,” he said while speaking with mediapersons in Ludhiana. He raised concerns over the state’s financial position and sought to know how the government planned to implement the scheme amid mounting debt that has reached nearly ₹5 lakh crore.

Bittu also accused the state government of stalling development projects and neglecting key sectors, such as education and infrastructure. He alleged that the pace of development in the state had slowed under the present administration.