Punjab govt has fulfilled four out of five promises: Cheema
Replying to the budget discussion in the assembly, Cheema said the guarantees fulfilled within two years include improvements in health infrastructure by setting up 829 Aam Aadmi Clinics, improving education infrastructure by setting up ‘Schools of Eminence’, free 300 units of power to 90% domestic consumers, and enhanced grant of ₹1 crore for families of martyred soldiers.
Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday said that under chief minister Bhagwant Mann, the state government has successfully fulfilled four out of five guarantees made to the people of the state.
Replying to the budget discussion in the assembly, Cheema said the guarantees fulfilled within two years include improvements in health infrastructure by setting up 829 Aam Aadmi Clinics, improving education infrastructure by setting up ‘Schools of Eminence’, free 300 units of power to 90% domestic consumers, and enhanced grant of ₹1 crore for families of martyred soldiers.
The budget was passed by the assembly with voice votes.
Cheema asserted that the remaining guarantees, mainly providing ₹1,000 per month for women, would also be fulfilled soon.
“The Congress MLAs are not aware of the fulfilment of these guarantees as they are related to the common people of the state. Most of the Congress MLAs belong to the elite class, who neither visit Aam Aadmi Clinics, nor do their children study in government schools, and the power bill of their houses exceeds 300 units. Maybe that’s the reason why the leader of opposition mentioned only a single guarantee and failed to talk about others fulfilled by the Punjab government,” Cheema said.
He said that contrary to the views of many members, the budget for education has not been decreased but has witnessed an increase of 11.5%.
“Similarly, in the agriculture sector, the revised budget of last year was ₹13,236 crore, which has been hiked to ₹13,784 crore for the next fiscal,” he said.
Cheema said that no government organisation has availed any loan, apart from the Punjab government.
“At present no state government organisation has taken a loan, while during the Congress government, a total of ₹9,530 crore, including ₹5,450 crore through the Rural Development Board and ₹4,090 crore through the Mandi Board was availed, while the farmers received only ₹4,400 crore as loan waiver. The pending liabilities of ₹6,279 crore of the previous Congress government have been paid by this government,” Cheema said.
He said that apart from it, pending power subsidy arrears amounting to ₹9,000 crore are being released as per the liquidation plan prepared, and an additional ₹2,468 crore pending are being released to PSPCL.
He said that the own tax revenue growth of the state during FY 2022-23 was 13%, and during FY 2023-24 remained at 14%.
While BJP member Ashwani Sharma said the state must recognise the Central grants being provided, SAD member Manpreet Ayali said the budget was silent on many aspects, especially, the future roadmap for the economic growth.
Congress MLA Sandeep Jakhar said the budget seems a well-orchestrated financial manipulation.