Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, With Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa airing diametrically opposite views on the impact of the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission on the state, People’s Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Singh Badal today demanded that the state government must come out with a white paper to tell the people the truth.
“Mr. Badal had all praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Hola Mohalla stage at Anandpur Sahib yesterday saying it had never been so good for Punjab as now with increase in share in central taxes having been increased from 32 to 42 per cent. He had gone to the extent of claiming that the Punjab’s stand on financial autonomy stands vindicated. However, the same day Mr. Dhindsa presented a very dismal picture in Chandigarh saying ‘we are not happy’. These are two contrary views on the same issue and this has confused the people. The state government must clarify the situation as the budget session is about to commence”, he said.
He pointed out that the hike in state’s share from 32 to 42 per cent was just one aspect of the Finance Commission’s recommendations. Punjab had been delisted from the category of three most debt stressed states while adding nine more in accordance with the new criteria and this dashed all hopes of the centre coming to the rescue.
He said yet another aspect was the funding pattern of several schemes for which the funds earlier used to be provided by the centre. Now some of these schemes would have to be financed by the state governments.
He referred to Mr. Dhindsa’s observation that Punjab would get nil net profit even from the near 10 per cent hike in devolution of funds from the centre to the state and that it was not going to benefit the state.
Manpreet said the state government had failed to convince the Finance Commission that a uniform formula could not be applied to all the states. He asked Badal how come he was all praise for the new formula while his Finance Minister had presented a gloomy picture.
