Badal Govt wasting funds on false propaganda, says PPCC chief
Wednesday, 12/02/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140212/punjab.htm#7
Chandigarh : Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Partap Singh Bajwa today warned the SAD-BJP Government against wasting public funds on "false propaganda" even as it had failed to pay benefits to employees under various social welfare schemes.
Bajwa said that information obtained under the RTI Act by Dr Jasdeepak Singh, convener of the Congress’ RTI cell, showed the SAD-BJP Government was spending a whopping Rs 1.25 crore per month on advertisements in the print media. The Department of Information and Public Relations had withheld information on advertisements on the electronic media.
Bajwa said from April 1, 2013 to February 3, 2014, the Punjab Government had issued advertisements worth Rs12.99 crore to various newspapers. Most of these were “false propaganda” on development projects.
He said it was shameful that the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister were indulging in self-promotion at the expense of the people who were already burdened under heavy taxes.
Bajwa said teachers were not getting salaries and retiring employees not being paid their dues. Hundreds of beneficiaries of the Shagun Scheme were waiting for their cheques.
The NSSO survey showed that peasants in Punjab were reeling under debt. Rural debt in Punjab was estimated at Rs 35,000 crore. “Yet the Badal Government has been spending crores on false propaganda,” he added.
