Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
* No supply received at Police Lines due to pending bills
Chandigarh, The cash-strapped Punjab Police refused to get the escort vehicles accompanying Members of Parliament and others refuelled at the Police Lines today. These vehicles have been deployed in the security of VIPs.
The VIPs were reportedly told that no supply of fuel was received at the Police Lines due to pending bills. The police already owed lakhs as fuel bills to petrol station owners. News reports from across the state in the past have revealed that the owners of most of the petrol stations have refused to refuel police vehicles.
A number of Congress MLAs said there had been no reimbursement of their fuel bills for the past over six months. Some MLAs said the government vehicles, mainly Innova cars, provided to them were in bad condition and they had to get these repaired at their own expense.
BJP MLAs and MPs have also complained of delayed reimbursement of their fuel bills. “We had to spend money from our pockets a number of times,” said an MP wishing not to be quoted.
“The Police Lines staff did not provide fuel to the escort vehicles provided to my security staff today,” said Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu.
MLA Raja Warring said the denial of fuel belied the government claims that the financial condition of the state was good. “Our fuel reimbursement bills are pending for the past six months. We are provided 500 litres of fuel every month. The government has not hiked the fuel limit or the salaries of the MLAs and now have to spend from our own pockets,” he said.
IGP (Provisioning) Khubi Ram said, “Some temporary glitch may be there regarding clearance of bills.”
Speaker Charanjit Atwal said, “MLAs and MPs get bills cleared by the government and no one has complained to me.”
Ishwar Jodh Singh Cheema, a Youth Congress leader, said, “The government keeps claiming that the state finances are strong, but they don’t have money for even refuelling vehicles.” He sought a government reply on the correct position of the state’s fiscal health.
The reaction
The Police Lines staff did not provide fuel to the escort vehicles provided to my security staff today.
—Ravneet Singh Bittu, Cong MP
Our fuel reimbursement bills are pending for the past six months.
—Raja Warring, MLA
The government keeps claiming that the state finances are strong, but they don’t have money for even refuelling vehicles.
—Ishwar Jodh Singh Cheema, YC Leader
