Even as the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs came out with slew of suggestions for Punjab Finanace Minister Manpreet Badal, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Friday dubbed the state Budget a "bundle of lies" while alleging that the Government had "exaggerated income and suppressed expenditure".
Opening the debate on the budget, presented by Manpreet on February 18, Congress MLA Rana Gurjit Singh stressed on taking benefit from the centrally sponsored schemes, while at the same time lashing out at the state bureaucracy for not informing the Ministers about the same.
"Officers know everything about Centre's schemes, but no one ever mention it to thge Minister because of which the State remain despieved of central funds and getting benefits from it," said Rana Gurjit while indicating at the officers' gallery leaving them smiling.
Besides, Rana Gurjit batted for crop diversifcation, increasing transports subsidy to Rs two from Re one, promoting beet plantation, besides promoting the state's agro based industry. "We should not allow maize from outside the state, and let all state's requirement should be met from within the state only," he insisted.
He also demanded that the districbuition of available water in the entire state should be "relooked" by a panel, and Jalandhar should get its "rightful share".
In addition, Rana Gurjit demanded that a summit "for agriculture solutions" be organsied by the government in which experts, and other stakeholders would discuss the changes the Punjab agriculture sector needs, improvement required, among other things.
AAP MLA Kultar Singh Sandhwan stressed for responsive administration, besides promotomng more and more state specific research programmes in Ludhiana's Punjab Agriculture University (PAU). He also maintained all parties should join their heads together to formulate policies to save the state's agriculture.
Akali Dal legislator and former Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa claimed that the state's fiscal position had been "deteriorating" ever since the Congress Government came to power, against its claims of fiscal consolidation.
"On the contrary, Punjab's economic situation is dismal...The Punjab Government ha become totally dependent on the Centre for meeting its expenditure," he said.
Claiming that Punjab's fiscal health was deteriorating, Dhindsa said: "Economic growth, which was 7.16 percent in 2017-18, dropped to 6.27 percent in 2018-19, and in 2019-20, it is estimated to be 5.93 percent. We know the target of 5.93 percent is also unachievable."
"In the budget, the government has exaggerated income and suppressed expenditure," he alleged while accusing the Government of not making efforts to stabilise or shore up revenue.
Hitting out at the Congress for blaming the erstwhile SAD-BJP dispensation for the state's growing debt, he claimed that the incumbent government had already raised Rs 30,000 crore of debt in the last two years and it would raise another Rs 28,000 crore during the next fiscal year.
"After raising so much debt, they now talk about fiscal consolidation," he said, adding that the previous government had raised a debt of about Rs 89,000 crore during its 10-year regime.
Dhindsa, claiming that the state's tax revenue was not rising, said that the total gap between the state's income and expenditure was about Rs 15,000 crore.
"It comprises an unfunded gap of Rs 4,323 crore, Rs 1,500 crore of excess revenue, Rs 1,150 crore of reduced salary, wage bill, Rs 4,500 crore of pending power subsidy and Rs 4,000 crore of pending treasury bills," he said.
Dhindsa also lashed out at the Congress government for raising Rs 6,600 crore of loan by pledging the future income of Punjab Infrastructure Development Board and Rural Development Fund. "When we used to raise money this way, they criticised us. Now they are following the same practice," he said, adding that the Congress had been "exposed".
"Allocation of funds does not matter when the government has no money to spend," Dhindsa said claiming that though the Government had introduced no new taxes in the budget, it would do so after the Lok Sabha elections.
AAP on Friday staged walkout on Maur Mandi bomb blast issue
AAP MLAs, during the zero hour, staged a walk-out on the issue of 2017 Maur Bomb blast in which seven, including five children, were killed, saying that the government had failed to nab the culprits and give compensation to the families of the victims.
During the zero hour, AAP MLA Jagdev Sing Kamalu raised the issue saying that the families of those killed or injured in the Bomb blast dated January 31, 2017, at the election rally of Congress candidate Harminder Jassi had not yet been given compensation nor arrested the perpetrators.
When the Government failed to give a satisfactory reply to the question, all AAP MLAs staged a walk-out of the House amid sloganeering against the government.
Leader of Opposition in Vidahn Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema, later talking with media, demanded that the Government should immediately arrest those behind the blast and grant compensation of Rs two crore each to the next of kin of those killed and Rs 10 lakh to those injured.
SAD raises issue of unavailability of winter uniform, Majithia pledges momnths pay for them
SAD MLA Majithia urged the House to donate one month salary to provide winter uniforms for school children, which the State Government had failed to provide even as winter season is coming to an end. Even as he got no response from any other MLA, Majithia pledged his month's salary for the purpose.