Punjab Congress on Sunday alleged that the State Budget 2014-15 was “nothing but a frank admission of SAD-BJP Government’s utter failure in fiscal management, economic and industrial revival, welfare programmes for poor, unemployed youth and marginal farmers who are being forced to commit suicide”.
“Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s absence from the House symbolises the despair, frustration and helplessness of this Government to overcome the grave and unprecedented economic crisis in the State,” said Congress
former MlA Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
He pointed that 14.3 per cent of State income goes to interest payment on huge borrowings which will soon reach alarming figure of 1.10 lakh thousand crores, 9.05 per cent goes to power subsidy, 45 per cent towards salaries and pensions and 15 per cent for other revenue expenditure. “Only 10.35 per cent is available for capital expenditure used for development,” he added.
Despite making nearly 400 promises in their manifesto, Akali-BJP combine made no effort to fulfil them, and no effort has been made to curtail fiscal and revenue deficit, he said.