Projects stuck due to Badals: Sidhu
Tuesday, 16/05/2017
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/projects-stuck-due-to-badals-sidhu/407646.html
Chandigarh : Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu today alleged that the Badals had left the state in such a position that it could not run projects such as Smart City, Swachh Bharat, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS).
Sidhu’s outburst came in response to SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema’s statement that the cricketer-turned-politician showed “mindless behaviour by telling lies just to earn a few laughs while interacting with people and the media”.
Challenging the Badals to an open debate on any of their charges, Sidhu said the father-son duo was using “small-time workers as mouthpieces”.
He alleged that the state was sanctioned Rs 200 crore for the Smart City (Ludhiana) project, but the then government had released only Rs32 crore, leaving the project in limbo. He said the Centre had clearly stated that no funds would be given for Amritsar and Jalandhar Smart City projects till the state showed sincerity in releasing its share of matching amount for the Ludhiana project.
Sidhu said the state did not give its share of Rs120.2 crore under AMRUT projects and Rs 466 crore for the BRTS project in Amritsar.
SAD hits back
Chandigarh: The SAD on Monday told Navjot Singh Sidhu to approach the Finance Department on the grants received from the Centre. SAD spokesman Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said it would be better if Sidhu sat in his office for four days and tried to understand the functioning of the government instead of rushing off to Mumbai every other day for comedy shows. “Every penny received from the Centre is accounted for,” he said.
The revenue deficit is nearly a billion dollars. The debt, which is over Rs 1.81 lakh crore, is high and unsustainable. I have no option but to immediately take corrective steps on cutting on all wasteful expenditure. —Manpreet Singh Badal, Finance Minister
