Punjab CM orders probe into whopping debt of Rs 3 lakh crore
Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Apr, 2022 10:35 AM
Chandigarh, April 18 (IANS) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday ordered an inquiry into how the state has a whopping public debt of Rs 3 lakh crore and where was the money spent.
"We will inquire as to where the money was spent and will order recovery into where this money was spent. This was the public money," Mann said in a tweet.
As per official figures, the total outstanding debt of Punjab as on March 31 was projected at Rs 2,52,880 crore, which is 42 per cent of the GSDP for 2020-21 and the outstanding debt is likely to be Rs 2,73,703 crore in 2021-22, which is 45 per cent of the GSDP.
Twenty per cent of the annual budget is being spent only to pay the interest on the loans.
As per the latest findings of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the state's financial crisis is set to worsen with the debt likely to reach Rs 3.73 lakh crore by 2024-25.
The government officials told IANS that the state's debt has increased by Rs 1 lakh crore in the past five years under the previous Congress government, largely owing to populism.
Responding to the Chief Minister's decision, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) welcomed the decision to order a probe into the Rs 3 lakh crore debt acquisition but said the inquiry should not be used to divert attention from fulfilling the promises made to the people of the state.
It also demanded a probe into all advertisements released by the AAP government in the last one month in office.
"We are all for a free and fair probe into the Rs 3 lakh crore debt accumulated by the state but this probe should not be used as an excuse to delay fulfilling the promises made to the people," senior leader Daljit Singh Cheema said in a statement here.
He said the previous Congress government had used the excuse of empty treasury to renege on all promises made to the people. "Despite knowing the reality of the financial position of the state before taking over the reins of the state, the Chief Minister has now come up with an excuse to probe the reasons behind this position.
"The SAD feels the probe should not come in the way of fulfilling the government promise to distribute Rs 1,000 to all women in the state, besides ensuring 300 units of free power per month to all domestic consumers immediately."
Cheema said the Chief Minister should also order an inquiry into the advertisements released by the state during the last one month in office.
"As per reports, taxpayer money is being used to spread the propaganda of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) across the country. Advertisements are being released in regional languages by the AAP government to project its alleged achievements in South India and even poll-bound states like Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Crores have been spent for this purpose which does not benefit Punjab or Punjabis in any manner whatsoever," he added.
Fulfilling its major pre-poll promise, the AAP government on April 16 announced 300 units of free electricity from July 1 in the state.
It said the rates of industrial and commercial units would also not be hiked, besides continuing free electricity for the agriculture sector.
The government further announced to waive off bills up to 2 KW load till December 31, 2021. Punjab is the second state after Delhi to provide free power to the people in the country.
Punjab has always stood against external intrusions and hence must be considered as a security case, not just as an economic case at the time of budgetary allocation, state Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said here on Tuesday. Badal made the demand during a virtual discussion with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on stepping up investment, infrastructure and growth in the country.
After a lacklustre outing in the 2017 Assembly polls, Kejriwal's AAP has rejuvenated its efforts to make a political dent in Goa for the upcoming 2022 state Assembly polls.
Addressing the gathering during a function to mark the death anniversary of former Punjab minister and Congress leader Santokh Singh Randhawa here, the Chief Minister thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for re-opening the Kartarpur corridor ahead of Prakash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev.
In a three page letter written on November 8, Tewari said, "I am requesting Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi to kindly ensure 50 per cent reservation granted to Mazhabi Sikhs & Balmikis out of 22.5 per cent way back in 1975, is upheld when matter comes up before a 7 or 9-Judge Bench of the Supreme Court when constituted shortly."
The Supreme Court on Monday sought an action plan within 24 hours from the Centre and state governments, detailing steps taken by task forces to stop air pollution caused by vehicular traffic, construction work, stubble burning, power plants, entry of heavy vehicles, dust, etc.
The Supreme Court on Monday said it will also consider the names of some retired apex court judges to monitor day-to-day investigation in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence incident. The top court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to upgrade its task force investigating the matter with some high-ranking officials.
