Economy in tatters, works stalled: Bajwa

Thursday, 18/09/2014

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140918/punjab.htm#3

Chandigarh : Commenting on the performance of the SAD-BJP Government, the Pradesh Congress president, Partap Singh Bajwa, said that the fiscal, social and political situation in the state had turned from bad to worse as the alliance between the SAD and the BJP was “unprincipled and unethical”.

Elaborating, he said whereas the SAD was aligned with the BJP in Punjab and at the Centre, it was opposing the BJP in Haryana. With the BJP government at the Centre refusing Punjab a fiscal package on the pattern of hill states, the Badal government had moved the court. Bajwa alleged that after Arun Jaitley’s defeat in Amritsar, the Modi government had forsaken Punjab. He claimed that the urban versus rural game being played between the SAD and the BJP would eventually hit the state hard. Calling it an “opportunistic” alliance, Bajwa said there was no word on the plight of Sikh farmers in Gujarat.

“The state government has lost control over its official machinery. Officials are busy transacting property deals instead of serving the people,” the PPCC chief said.

Despite a lot of talk at industrial and agriculture summits, the state was struggling in both sectors. In recent years, 18,770 factories had been shut and only 125 had been set up. Punjab was among the slowest growing states in the country. Its annual development plan was about Rs 15,000 crore last year whereas in the neighbouring Haryana, it was Rs 28,000 crore.

He said the state’s economy was in tatters because of which development had come to a halt.

The UPA government, he said, had given Rs 800 crore to the state for tackling the problem of waterlogging. But the Badal government had done little to eradicate the problem in the Muktsar belt.

Students were to be given laptops and tablets, but nothing had been heard in this regard so far.

The jobless too were promised unemployment allowance but had got nothing. The government had yet to honour its promise to double the pension amount. Also, the government was finding it difficult to pay salaries to its employees in time. The alliance had vowed to fight the drug menace. But sadly names of certain influential persons had cropped up during investigation into the drug racket. “In short, the SAD-BJP government has failed to deliver on all fronts,” alleged Bajwa.

The Congress leader said that farmers were in a debt trap and were committing suicide. The state government had failed to come out with a policy for these farmers. Students were facing a bleak future as the state government had failed to generate employment opportunities for them.

Congress charges

PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa (in pic) says the govt is unable to control its officials; some of them are busy transacting property deals

Despite a lot of talk at industrial and agriculture summits, the state is among the slowest growing states

The govt has done little to eradicate the problem of waterlogging, especially in the Muktsar belt

Students have not got laptops and the jobless are waiting for unemployment allowance

The govt has yet to double the pension amount; there is no word on Sikh farmers in Gujarat

Different voices

The govt is doing well. But there are some deficiencies that need to be removed. I have been giving suggestions to the government from time to time. The government needs to improve its image. I am sure that the alliance is doing everything possible to provide a clean administration to the people of the state. — Shanta Kumar, BJP leader

The people have lost hope of a better tomorrow. Haryana, which used to be Punjab’s poor cousin, has marched ahead in all fields. There is no access to good education. Foreign dignitaries prefer Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Bengaluru to cities in Punjab. People are migrating in droves to foreign lands as they see a bleak future in their home-state. — Manpreet Badal, PPP leader

The people are suffering. Sand is being sold on the black market. Sand mines have become gold mines for certain persons who are backed by powerful persons. The law and order situation is pathetic. The police have become a tool in the hands of politicians. Almost everyday, there are reports of suicide by farmers or students. Businessmen are shifting to other states — SS Chhotepur, AAP convener

All sections of society are unhappy with the SAD-BJP government. No effort has been made to create jobs. There is no relief for the common man. Government employees are resorting to agitations. Poor students are not getting scholarships in time and educational institutions are charging exorbitant fee. Seats reserved for SC students in MBBS have been taken away from them.-Avtar Singh Karimpuri,- BSP chief