Oppn wants fiscal emergency imposed in state
Saturday, 23/03/2013
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130323/punjab.htm#2
Chandigarh : The Punjab Congress continued with its attack on the SAD-BJP alliance in the parking lot of the House complex, demanding that a financial emergency be imposed in the state to save it from “utter financial ruin”. Congress legislators led by Legislature Party Leader Sunil Jakhar resolved to meet the Governor on the issue.
Leading the attack against the SAD-BJP alliance, Jakhar said the state government had hoodwinked the people by fudging figures to show a reduction in the fiscal deficit. Instead of trying to reduce the burden of inflation on the common man, he government had played a cruel joke on the people by reducing VAT on brooms and clips.
Jakhar said the problem of waterlogging was acute in his constituency, Abohar, and 80,000 acres of land under kinnow would be rendered useless if no steps were initiated to arrest the rising water table.
Jakhar said the Industry in the state was fleeing. Instead of remedial measures, the state had chosen to keep its eyes shut. Instead for looking for alternatives, it was openly promoting the liquor business as was evident from the astronomical collections through auction of liquor vends.
Sardulgarh MLA Ajit Inder Singh Mofar said it was shameful that Punjab had witnessed a growth rate of only 5.19 per cent in comparison to 7 per cent in Haryana, 6.24 in Himachal Pradesh and 7.1per cent in Jammu and Kashmir.
"The governemt is fooling the people in the name of investment because without manpower particularly in the education and healthcare sectors, the entire exercise means nothing. Computers without teachers is meaningless," Jakhar said. He pointed out that the juice manufacturing units in Abohar and Hoshiarpur had closed down.
