Chandigarh: March 19, 2008, The Akali-BJP Government has presented a lacklustre budget which seems to be a routine exercise of statistics by babus and lacks vision of revival of the economy of the State which has touched a record low on economical front during the one year of mis-rule and mismanagement of
the Akali BJP Combine. Smt. Rajinder Kaur Bhattal President Punjab Congress and Leader of the Opposition said in a statement here today that the no tax-no concession budget has vindicated the apprehension of the Congress Party that the Badal Government will use the ploy of model code of conduct to shirk away from providing any concessions or relaxations to the public .
The Pradesh Congress Chief said that the Government has failed to deliver on all fronts during the one year rule and the tall hopes of people on Finance Minister have also been washed with the Budget proposals which have failed to provide any relief to the already dying industry, the power sector and the farm sector. Mrs. Bhattal added that the Government has failed to put up sound proposals for pulling the state out of financial mess and the State is running on borrowings and loans. The Government has failed to find out new resources to generate funds for the sustenance of the economy. It appears that the Government has neither the political will nor the necessary vision to carry out the reforms for resurrection of the State economy without harming the lower and poor strata of the society. It is pity that the Government does not have adequate funds to grant installment of dearness allowance to its employees which was due from last January 1 which has already been given by the Central and other state Governments.
Mrs. Bhattal said that the Akali BJP Government has entrapped the State in financial red with its short-term policies. The worst hit is the power sector where neither the domestic nor the industrial or agriculture consumer is getting enough power. She said that on one hand SAD-BJP is promising surplus power for the State, but no funds for new generation, free power subsidy and even for purchase of power have been earmarked. She claimed that the previous Congress regime took loans from different agencies for infrastructure development but the present Government is taking loans to meet part of consumption expenditure.