Fireworks expected in Amarinder government’s first Budget session

Wednesday, 14/06/2017

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Chandigarh : The first budget session of the Congress government in Punjab, which commences on Wednesday, will be stormy, with opposition - AAP and SAD-BJP - set to raise issues like farmer suicides, debt waiver, alleged impropriety in mining contracts and “atrocities” on Dalits.

The government is likely to rely on a counter-strategy, with a whitepaper highlighting the ‘fiscal mess’ created by the previous SAD-BJP regime along with some relief for distressed farmers and pro-people initiatives in the budget to deflate the claims of rival parties.

The session will also see the tabling of the state bill for the implementation of the Goods and Service Tax, an official said.

SAD-BJP and AAP will hold their respective legislative party meetings on Wednesday to come out with a foolproof plan to corner the government.

“We shall be raising the issue of farmers’ suicides, farm debt waiver and sand mining mafia along with other pertinent issues,” AAP MLA and leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, H S Phoolka said.

The budget session is scheduled to commence on Wednesday with obituary references and will adjourn sine-die after the proposed legislative business on June 23.

The state budget will be tabled on June 20 by Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal.

Opposition parties will take on the government on the farm debt waiver promise of the Congress, even as the government has formed an expert panel to assess the quantum of farm debt and suggest ways and means for its implementation.

SAD president Sukhbir Badal on Tuesday said that farmer suicides have increased tremendously in the last three months with 70 farmers having taking the extreme step and in case the government did not waive loans, Punjab may be engulfed by law and order problems.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has already indicated that several important decisions with financial implications will be announced during the budget session to fulfill some key poll promises of his government.

Parties will also raise the issue of an alleged scam in the sand mining contracts auction, seeking resignation of Cabinet minister Rana Gurjit Singh.

Opposition has already rejected the decision for a probe by one man commission, a retired judge J S Narang, formed by the government.

During the session, the government, which took over the reins on March 16, is expected to bring whitepaper on development, governance reforms and the financial position of the state, which will clearly “apprise the common man of the situation inherited by the present government.”