Chandigarh, March 8: Pratap Singh Bajwa, the leader of the opposition in the Punjab Assembly, criticized the budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Cheema on Sunday. He described the budget as a mere collection of grand announcements aimed at garnering headlines, while completely ignoring the urgent need to revive the struggling state economy.
Bajwa stated that the budget once again highlights the lack of a clear economic vision from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government regarding job creation, industrial revival, and improving the state’s financial condition.
In a statement, Bajwa remarked that the AAP government has mastered the art of making lofty claims and big announcements. However, when it comes to presenting a concrete plan for economic revival and job creation, the budget proves to be utterly hollow.
Challenging the government’s assertion that all promises have been fulfilled, Congress leader Bajwa pointed out that one of the most significant promises made by the AAP government during the 2022 assembly elections was to provide women with ₹1,000 per month. This announcement came only after four years in power.
He questioned, if the government claims that all promises have been met, why did Punjab’s women have to wait four years for the ₹1,000 scheme? This clearly indicates that the announcement is politically motivated rather than a result of responsible governance.
Bajwa also highlighted the alarming increase in Punjab’s debt during the AAP government’s tenure. He noted that when the AAP came to power, the state’s debt was approximately ₹28 lakh crore, which has now surged to nearly ₹41 lakh crore, placing a significant financial burden on the state’s future.
He criticized the AAP government for deepening Punjab’s debt trap through reckless financial management and populist announcements instead of reducing debt and increasing revenue.
The opposition leader further stated that the budget lacks a credible strategy to attract real investments for Punjab’s youth or to create sustainable employment opportunities.
He mentioned that while the government claims to have received investment proposals worth thousands of crores, it remains unclear how many of these proposals have actually materialized into industries on the ground.
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Arpit Soni has had a passion for journalism since the beginning. Now he has turned this hobby into his profession. Arpit, who is a resident of Udaipur, enjoys editing and writing news related to journalism. He has worked as a Senior Content Producer in several important roles at Bhaskar, Patrika, Pratahkal, Punjab Kesari, and Times. Arpit completed his schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur. He has been working in the media industry for more than 10 years, and his journey is still continuing. ✍️📚
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