Hitting out at the critics of his government’s rule, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday said that while six months was hardly sufficient to judge the fact that his government had not only implemented many of its poll promises but had also set in motion the process of bringing the beleaguered state economy back on track.
“It is unfortunate that after plunging the state into one of its worst ever financial crises, the Akalis are resorting to street politics in a bid to undermine the numerous achievements of the Congress Government. As for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), they had always followed a negative political philosophy and continued to indulge in the same, despite the severe setback in the Punjab assembly polls,” he said.
He said that his Government did not have a magic wand to wipe away the multifarious problems it had inherited from the previous SAD-BJP government as a result of 10 years of its misrule. “Achievements, notched up by the government in just six months, have not only set the stage for Punjab’s development but also underlined the intentions and commitment to bring the state back on the path of progress,” he said.
Pointing out that the process to waive off farm loans had already been initiated, Capt. Amarinder said that the government was waiting for central assistance in terms of relaxation in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) Act, 2003, and enhancement in the borrowing limit to enable the state government to meets its agriculture debt waiver commitments—the issue already taken up the issue with Prime Minister.
Regretting the delay in disbursement of salaries to government employees, Capt Amarinder said that Centre’s GST contribution, which had to come in June, had been pushed back to September, leading to postponement in payment of the salaries.
“Unfortunately, the state, with its empty coffers, is not in a position to pay the salaries from its exchequer in the prevailing circumstances,” he said.
Capt Amarinder said that the special task force on drugs had succeeded in breaking the backbone of drugs mafia in these six months, besides claiming that his government had created some three lakh jobs already for the unemployed youth.
He maintained that Rs five per unit power tariff would soon be notified and various projects committed by major industries and business houses were also being rolled out on the ground.
Claiming that there was not a single pre-poll promise which his government had not already started executing in right earnest, Chief Minister said that the smartphone disbursement promised to the youth was also in the process of being worked out. In view of the financial constraints, the government had to prioritize various promises, with farm loan waiver topping the agenda, he added.
“From social welfare schemes to development programmes, every Congress election promise was in the process of implementation,” he said adding that the government naturally needed time to realize its goals, with six months “no yardstick to measure its success or failure”.