Opposition Calls Badal Govt Budfget Nothing But A Debt And Deficit Statement

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State Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa has criticised the state Budget, terming it as the worst ever in the history of the state. He said it was nothing more than a desperate attempt to get through the year without promising any new schemes. Bajwa said the government admitted that the state was bankrupt. He said the Parkash Singh Badal government had now entered the fourth year of its term, but there was no indication that the government would fulfil the promises it made to the people in its last manifesto.

CHANDIGARH – The Opposition parties today flayed the state Budget terming it an “empty vessel” and a “debt and deficit” statement.

Leader of the Opposition Sunil Jakhar said the Budget was merely an empty vessel, which would only increase the state’s debt. He said the absence of clarity on fund allocations by the Central Government would affect the state’s growth.

Pointing out that there was no allocation for free laptops for students, he said the state government seemed to have forgotten its promises made in the election manifesto.

Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh criticised the Budget saying “the only recurring theme of the Budget is debt and deficit both of which are multiplying at an alarming rate.”

“With the state debt mounting to a humongous figure of Rs 1.25 lakh crore and revenue deficit crossing Rs 6,000 crore, one can hardly expect anything from this Budget,” the former Chief Minister remarked.

He called it the most “uninspiring” Budget with no hope or scope of any redemption. The government appeared to have resigned to the fait accompli by not attempting any remedial measures to redeem the situation, he said.

“I don’t blame the young Finance Minister as it is actually Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal who has presided over the economic and financial mess that a helpless minister was forced to document and narrate in the Vidhan Sabha today,” he added.

Lal Singh, former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader, called the Budget a joke with the common man. “What can a government that remained in the ICU for over four months provide to the common man,” he asked, referring to the overdraft period of 123 days. He said the overdraft was an option to be availed in emergency, but this government availed this option 20 times a year.

“There is no word on poll manifesto promises. There is no clarification on Rs 17,000 crore marked under the ways and means. Dhindsa has not listed the road map for covering deficit. How is he going to manage? Is the government planning some robbery?” said Lal Singh.

People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal said besides being self-contradictory, the Budget was the manifestation of confusion in the government at every level.