Cong MPs: Budget is anti-Punjab
Saturday, 12/07/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140712/punjab.htm#9
Ludhiana : Ravneet Singh Bittu, Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha constituency, today said that the Union Budget clearly showed that the Modi government had no concern for the Punjab's deteriorating fiscal condition.
He said that the need of the hour was to help Punjab get rid of its debt, waive the farmers' debts, keep a check on the depleting water table and ensure the state was pollution-free.
He said that it was a matter of concern that the Budget had not addressed these issues. Bittu said the Budget had no provision for tackling the Ludhiana's problems, including transportation. The city's hosiery and cycle industry had not been given any incentives and there was no plan for cleaning the Budha Nullah. Bittu said the Budget was not only "anti-farmer and anti-industry but also anti-Punjab".
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader HS Phoolka expressed disappointment over the Union Budget, saying: "The government has brought bad days (bure din) for Punjab. The BJP had promised in its election manifesto that it would accept the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendations for the farm sector. But none of the recommendations have been accepted by the Union Minister in the Budget."
"The Budget lacks initiative. No concession or incentive has been given to Punjab, despite the Finance Minister having contested the elections from Amritsar. Punjab has received no more than tokenism from a Punjabi Finance Minister." — Ashwani Kumar, Cong leader
"There is no provision for tackling Ludhiana's transportation problem. The city's hosiery and cycle industry has not been given any incentives and there is no plan to clean the Budha Nullah. The Budget is anti-farmer and anti-industry." — Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress MP
"The BJP had promised that it would accept the MS Swaminathan Committee recommendations for the farmers. This has not been done. Also, no steps have been mentioned to strengthen the small-scale industry, which is the backbone of the industry in Punjab." — HS Phoolka, AAP leader
