Amidst speculation on the BJP preparing to go solo in Punjab, the party members and their coalition counterparts, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Monday met once again as a part of the ongoing process of ironing out the differences over slew of issues including value added tax (VAT), spiralling prices of sand-gravel, among others.
SAD-BJP’s six-member coordination panel, in its first meeting after Haryana Assembly polls, has decided to reach out to the people concerned to take stock of the things and the problems in the system of VAT, besides regarding availability of sand and gravel.
The panel, comprising three members of both parties, has decided to listen to the grievances of the various associations concerned with the issue, including that of traders, industrialists. For the purpose, the panel would visit the major districts across the State including Bathinda, Pathankot, ludhiana and Jalandhar, to get the feedback of the traders, understanding the problems faced by them, among other things in case of VAT and availability and prices of sand and gravel.
The panel discussed in length the two significant issues coupled with the problems faced by the industrialists with the concerned Government officials of the Excise and Taxation and the Industry departments, to understand all the modalities, among other things. “We have taken all the requisite information from the concerned Government officers about sand-gravel, VAT, and other problems faced by the industrialists. We have also compared the sand prices with the neighbouring States, and VAT also…before taking any decision, we would meet the various associations by visiting major cities,” a Committee member told The Pioneer.
During three-hour long meeting, one of the panel members submitted that there were still complaints regarding improper supply and high prices of sand and gravel. Defending, the Excise official, present during the meeting, maintained that the rates of sand and concrete have already come down after the Government’s decision to keep it under Corporations. The official added that there was resentment among people in this regard as the checking has been increased which might be giving some problem to the people.
Of late, with the aim of curbing spiraling prices of sand and gravel in the State and eliminating role of private contractors, the Punjab Government had directed the Punjab Small Industries and Exports Corporation (PSIEC), a subsidiary of the industries department, to supply sand and gravel at fixed prices.
However, the move has witnessed some initial hiccups, and it may take some more time before the sand and gravel be made available on cheap rates. Before concluding the meeting, the panel decided “to meet the industrialists, traders of Jalandhar, Bathinda, Pathankot, and ludhiana districts in the coming days to listen their problems”.
“We would then submit our complete report on the same issues to the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal…A special meeting of the panel would also be organized with the Chief Minister and his deputy son Sukhbir Badal before arriving at any decision,” said the committee member. To streamline the day-to-day functioning and cooperation between the alliance partners, Badal had constituted the Committee and picked Rajya Sabha MPs Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, and Balwinder Singh Bhunder, besides lok Sabha MP Ranjit Singh Brahmpura to represent Akali Dal.
Pathankot MlA Ashwani Sharma, senior BJP leaders Narottam Dev Ratti and Rajinder Bhandari were representing the BJP in the panel. It was for the first time that all members were present in Monday meeting. The Committee was necessitated following several incidents, in the recent past, leading to friction between the two allies, especially after the BJP blamed SAD for coalition’s poor performance in 2014 general elections in Punjab despite having their own Government in the State, anti-Congress wave and Modi-tsunami sweeping across the entire country.
The combine’s defeat on seven seats out total 13 in Punjab ensued in a blame-game with the BJP pointing out SAD’s “wrong decisions” on imposing taxes including property tax and taxes on trading community, high prices of sand and gravel besides its unavailability, deteriorating law and order situation, and above all, the growing drug menace. The panel was formed after the BJP fact finding panel, headed by its senior leader Balram Ji Dass Tandon — now Chhattisgarh Governor, has listed these factors besides delay in VAT refunds, problems faced by industry and trade sector, stamp duty, coupled with burden on urban voters of power subsidy, among others as issues that led to loss of seven seats in the general elections.