Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, November 20: Appreciating the belated decision to fill up the vacant government posts in an effort to provide employment in the state, People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal today urged the Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal to come out with the resource mobilization needed for the implementation announcements made yesterday regarding the decisions taken at the cabinet meeting.
“None would oppose that recruitment should not be re-opened or special security pension not doubled. The government is entering its last year and as such, the people have a right to know about the source of huge resource mobilization needed for this purpose. Earlier, the government tried to raise Rs 10,000 crore as loan from the commercial banks, such pitiable is the situation. It is abundantly clear that this government is out and hence it has no concern for the financial aspects”, he said.
The former finance minister pointed out that the state government has been running into arrears even on the payment of old age and widow pensions while amount is a meager Rs 250 per month. The people believed no more in the rhetoric of Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal as he had nothing to show by way of development. He asserted the people’s outrage was the manifestation of the cumulative grievances. The state government employees were still to get the last installment of the dearness allowance due.
He said it was tragic that reports were appearing every day about the distressed farmers committing suicide. However, the government had so far failed to take even a single step to assuage the feeling of the farmers who blocked the rail tracks for a week.
He said the wrath among the people could not be controlled by such sops or on the other extreme, with the lathis of the police and the Akalis goondas. The basic issues concerning the people would have to be addressed by the government rather than taking every decision with an eye on the votes.
He said rather than hoodwinking the people as the resource mobilization was likely to be through raising loans, the government must come out with the facts as to how much additional debt would be added by the latest announcements as already, the debt burden is too high. He made it clear that he was not in any way opposing any of the announcements but only seeking clarifications from the government.
