On completion of five months of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government in Punjab, five Cabinet Ministers on Tuesday presented report cards of their respective Ministries, listing out various “achievements”.
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Health Minister Chetan Singh Jouramajra, Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, Power Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO, and Mining and Jails Minister Harjot Singh Bains addressed the media together and talked about the works undertaken in their respective departments and the pre-poll promises fulfilled in the last five months.
While Cheema made claims about the state's improving fiscal position with rise in Goods and Services Tax (GST) and excise collections coupled with repayment of debt, the Bains shared information regarding the steps being taken to end the mining mafia and stop use of mobile phones by prison inmates.
Dhaliwal claimed that Panchayat Department has recovered 9,053 acres of panchayat land from encroachers in the state. Harbhajan Singh maintained that the promise of free electricity of 300 units per month to each household has been implemented which will put an additional financial burden of Rs 5,629 crore on the state exchequer. Jouramajra talked about 100 ‘Aam Aadmi’ clinics to provide quality healthcare to the people free of cost, besides establishing medical colleges in each district.
Notably, Bhagwant Mann had taken the oath as the Chief Minister on March 16 after AAP stormed to power by winning 92 of 117 assembly seats in Punjab.
Cheema said that AAP Government has five months and the Chief Minister has taken “big and historic decisions in favour of the people of Punjab” in this period. “In the last five months, the State Government repaid Rs 12,339 crore of debt, including principal amount, as against fresh borrowings of Rs 10,729 crore,” he said.
“A growth of 24.15 per cent was witnessed in GST collection during the last five months. There was a growth of 43.47 per cent in collection from excise revenue in the last five months,” he said, claiming that the liquor mafia has been removed.
Dhaliwal, the Agriculture, Rural Development and NRI Affairs Minister, said the State Government has ordered an audit of private sugar mills to find out sugarcane arrival and production of sugar. It has been decided to conduct an audit of private sugar mills to gather complete details about their functioning, he said.
He said that NRI Punjabis are contacting him to contribute to the development of the State for which a new policy will be introduced next week. A special trust is being established in which NRIs will be able to contribute and money will be spent on improving health and education facilities in the state, he said.
Bains, Mining and Jails Minister, said that the highest-ever 2,829 mobile phones were recovered from different jails in the state. “Talks are on with government companies like ECIL for jamming mobile signals in jails,” he said adding that there was a zero-tolerance policy towards the use of mobile phones by inmates.
On illegal sand mining, Bains said that 328 FIRs have been lodged and three crushers sealed in the last five months. He claimed that 90 per cent of illegal mining has been stopped in the state and “revenue generated from the mining sector will be spent on development works”.
Bains, who also holds the portfolio of school education, said that 100 schools of eminence will be set up which will be as good as private schools.
A detailed survey of a total 19,123 schools of the state is being conducted with an aim of improving school education and getting information about the condition of the schools.
Bains, who also holds the Water Resources portfolio, said that the work on the Shahpur Kandi Dam project has been intensified and it will be completed in the next one-and-a-half years.