CHANDIGARH: Accusing the previous governments in Punjab of saddling the state with a crippling debt of Rs 3 lakh crore, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday warned that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government would probe where the money went. “Where have these funds been used? We will investigate and make a recovery, because it is public money,” said a tweet by the party’s state handle (@AAPPunjab) quoting the chief minister.
While welcoming the CM’s decision, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) said the inquiry should not be used by AAP to divert attention from fulfilling the promises it had made to the people of the state.
The state’s poor financial health is a major concern. As per the budget estimates for 2021-22, Punjab’s outstanding debt is pegged at nearly Rs 2.82 lakh crore. The total expenditure is estimated at Rs 1.68 lakh crore, up from Rs 1.34 lakh crore in 2019-20.
Ahead of the Punjab assembly elections, AAP co-incharge of Punjab affairs Raghav Chadha had accused the previous Akali-BJP and the then Congress government in Punjab of pushing the state into debt, resulting in every child born in the state having a debt of Rs 1 lakh on his/her head right from birth.
He had tweeted on January 3, “Punjab's debt is close to 3 lakh crore, Punjab's total population is roughly 3 crore. Punjab's per capita debt is Rs 1 lakh. 20% of Punjab's annual budget is spent on servicing existing debt. From the Bread Basket of India Punjab today has become the Debt Basket of India.”
The SAD also demanded a probe into all advertisements released by the AAP government during its one month in office.
SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema pointed out that the previous Congress government had used the excuse of empty treasury to renege on all promises made to the people. He added that the probe should not come in the way of fulfilling the government promise to distribute Rs 1,000 to all women in the state besides ensuring 300 units of free power per month to all domestic consumers immediately.“As per reports, taxpayer money is being used to spread AAP propaganda across the country. Advertisements are being released in regional languages by the AAP government to project its alleged achievements in south India and even poll-bound states like Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. Crores have been spent for this purpose which does not benefit Punjab or Punjabis in any manner whatsoever,” he added.
