Reacting sharply on the Punjab Government’s decision to impose fresh cess on electricity, petrol and diesel, the Congress legislative Party (ClP) leader Sunil Jakhar on Friday demanded that white paper on State’s financial health should be issued. He said that the SAD-BJP alliance Government had mischievously deferred announcement on new taxes and cess in the Budget session of the Assembly to avert face down in debate.
“SAD-BJP Government has been lavishly releasing cheques to political followers at Sangat Darshan functions to claim cheap popularity at the cost of state exchequer which has not been able to ensure payment of salaries to its staff regularly,” alleged Jakhar. He said that the consumers in Punjab will now have to pocket off Re one on each unit of electricity whereas the cess was only 30 paise in the states of Delhi, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, 15 paise in Bihar,10 paise in Haryana and nine paise in Chandigarh. “Power generating by the state-owned thermal plants has been drastically reduced, only four out of 14 units are functioning since the cost of power generated in these plants is Rs 3.60 only. By keeping these units shut, the state government is pursuing its hidden agenda of paying Rs 4.30 for each unit to private plants based at Rajpura. At lehra Mohabbat plant, only 250 MW power is being generated against its capacity of 920 MW,” he claimed. Jakhar slammed the State Government for forcing hundreds of industries to shift to other states by creating negative environment.