Open House: How do you view the proposals presented in the first full Budget of AAP government?
Vacate encroached lands to earn revenue
The state government has allocated a budget of Rs 1,96,462 crore for the financial year 2023-24, out of which it is proposed that the government will take a loan of Rs 34,984 crore. The Punjab Government is already carrying a burden of loan to the tune of Rs 2,92,266 crore, and as things stand as of now, a major portion of revenue goes out to pay the interest amount on the ever increasing debt on the state. However, the question that must be posed is do we really need to take more loans when asserts worth hundreds of crores are lying unutilised? A two-member panel comprising former Justice SS Saron and former DGP Chander Shekhar had submitted a report on March 27, 2019, to the then Local Bodies Minister which informed about the encroachment of over 6 lakh acres of land across the state. The copy of the same report was resubmitted in June 2019. But no action was taken on the report. The present dispensation showed some interest to get encroached lands vacated in May last year but the plan fizzled out later. Instead of taking more loans to run the state, the government should make efforts to get the illegally encroached land vacated and put it into better use to earn money and spend it on the welfare schemes for the general public. The present-day value of illegally encroached 6 lakh acres of land is immense and can be a good source of revenue for the government.
Naresh Johar
Agriculture sector completely ignored
Punjab has among got the most fertile lands in the country, and that is the reason it is still referred to as the food basket of India. The state played a significant role during the green revolution under the leadership of Partap Singh Kairon and MS Randhawa. However, later, this sector of economy got a step-motherly treatment from successive governments, which eventually led to the present sorry state of affairs. If we talk about this year’s Budget only, just Rs 13,888 crore have been allocated for agriculture, of which Rs 9,331 crore will go as power subsidy. Hence, no significant amount of money will be spent on this crucial sector of economy this year as well. In the Central Budget for 2015-16, a post graduate institute of horticulture and education was sanctioned for Amritsar. The state government later allotted 100 acres of land for this institute but 32 acres of land earmarked for the administrative and education blocks at Chiddan village are yet to be acquired even when 8 years have passed after the announcement. Similarly, under the scheme of ‘One horticulture product for one district’, a pear training and development centre was sanctioned for Amritsar in 2019. About 6 acres of land near Valla in Amritsar were sanctioned for this centre but no progress has been made in this regard as well. The government must, therefore, instead of paying lip service to agriculture, which is an important sector of economy, announce more schemes and the state government should see to it that all pending projects are completed.
Harsh Johar
Innovative solutions needed for problems
The presentation of Budget has become an annual ritual, with nothing new or extraordinary in it. The same can be said about the Budget presented by the state government this year as well. The politicians of today do not think out of the box and seldom come up with innovative ideas meant to solve the problems of today. To quote an example, why not rename government schools, colleges, clinics, dispensaries, hospitals and parks in the name of those who give fixed amounts or pay annually for the maintenance of these entities? In this way, the government can earn a good amount of revenue and also earn the goodwill of the people. There is no end to improvisation and innovation to provide financial relief to the public, but that is possible only if the political class has will and determination to do so.
Nityanshi Chopra
Budget estimates are disappointing
The budget estimates of Punjab Government for the financial year 2023-24 have left the citizens of Amritsar disappointed. There is no mention of the budget in the budget speech required for the purchase of nearly 30 acres of land for the establishment of the Post Graduate Institute of Horticulture Research and Education, Amritsar, which was sanctioned in 2015 by the Central Government. All the departmental sanctions have been granted but due to the non-availability of funds, the future of the horticulture research institute regarding its establishment will be suspicious. Amritsar is developing at a fast pace and the city needs at least 2,000 acres of area of the urban estate for its planned residential and commercial future establishments, but there was no mention of such plans for Amritsar. Finance Minister spoke about the invention of apple varities that can be grown in Punjab by the scientists of Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, using the ‘tissue culture’ techniques, but no financial grant was mentioned for the propagation of the new varities. Although GNDU won the prestigious Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Trophy for the 24th time this year, no funds were sanctioned for laying the “synthetic athletics track” which the GNDU needs for the promotion of athletics events. The air, water and soil of the Sifti Da Ghar-Amritsar are being polluted by the toxic water flowing in the Tung Dhab drain and the Bhagtanwala dump, but the budget speech did not mention any fund allocation for making the Tung Dhab drain pollution-free and shifting the Bhagtanwala dump away from the holy city of Amritsar.
Kulwant Singh Ankhi
Health sector
needs boost
It is worth appreciating that the Punjab Government has, keeping in mind the needs of the middle class, not imposed any new taxes. An additional increase in the budget is to be spent on agriculture, education and the health sector. It should be ensured that changes in the education policy are complete. It is important to understand the basic needs, availability of resources and public adaptation of this revamped education system. The health sector needs a massive improvement in terms of the availability of modern equipment and human resources to every individual. The industrial approach towards biomedical sciences and quality education in medical colleges must be outreached to maximum students.
Kanchan Garg
budget presented Beneficial for people
The budget presented by the AAP-led state government is good. In order to encourage students of poor families to study, a provision of fee concession for meritorious college students has been made. In all districts, cyber crime control rooms will be set up, which will help in controlling law and order. If the budget is implemented properly it will be beneficial for people. With this budget technology, education, agriculture and other sectors will get boost.
Jasleen Kaur
mobilisation of fresh resources ignored
The Budget outlay of Rs 1,96,462 crore for 2023-24 is higher by 26 per cent over the previous fiscal. Proposing enhanced allocations for the vital sectors like agriculture, health services, education, power, etc., is laudable. Similarly, continuing the existing subvention to industry, farm sector and power is welcome. However, how it will lessen the burden on debt stressed economy of the state without the mobilisation of fresh resources has not been explained in the Budget. In the budgetary estimates, a fiscal deficit of 4.78 is much above the ideal stipulations of below 3 per cent. It would, indeed, be cumbersome to assert claims for matching grants from the central bourses. It is, therefore, somewhat inexplicable for the government to fulfil guarantees given to public at the time of elections while bearing committed expenditure, i.e. salaries to staff and debt repayment obligations falling due during the year. Rationally, non-tax receipts would be enhanced to some extent by better management and plugging leakage of revenue, but tax-related collections without fresh levies have limited scope at existing slabs. It should have been ensured to keep freebies under check, which do little good than mere populism to gain electoral favours! Earnestly there is an urgent need to curtail undue expenses, devise a pragmatic strategy to contain revenue deficit and debt restructuring for sustained growth. On the whole, the prime focus of the government in the coming days should be on improvement of law and order and exploring more ways and means for revenue generation, so as to restore economic stability in the state.
Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath
Announcements good, but what about funds
The revenue obtained from various taxes, including the GST and property tax, is diverted to various projects and departments to carry out development and other infrastructural works. Apart from this, the government raises loans from various banks and agencies to successfully carry out the development work. The Budget for the next fiscal presented by the Aam Adami Party proposed no new tax and increased spending in agriculture, education and health sectors. The proposals are welcome as the areas of focus are concern the common man. We all want affordable education, low-priced health services and a productive and profitable agriculture sector. It’s good that the government would continue to extend 300 units of electricity free to every household every month and free travel to women in the state-run buses, and Aam Aadmi Clinics would continue to provide free health services. The Budget can be termed as successful with no new tax, but the big question is: ‘From where the funds will come?’ The Lok Sabha byelection to Jalandhar Parliamentary Constituency and the elections to Municipal Corporation Elections in Punjab are due within a short period. The Budget has to strike a fine balance between prudence and vote bank consideration, and whether the electorate liked it or not, will be clear once the verdict to various elections is out.
Rajat Kumar Mohindru
Old announcements, nothing new for us
Several women voted for the Aam Aadmi Party in the Assembly elections last year, expecting Rs 1,000 per month as promised by it. However, the Bhagwant Mann government has failed to provide Rs 1,000 per month to women above 18 years. The people of the state had high hopes from this Budget, but it has led to a lot of disappointment. No provision has been made to provide relief to the common man. Years-old announcements have been repeated.
Saahil Hans
Surging state
debt a concern
It was the first full-fledged budget presented by the AAP government in Punjab and it shows the government is driving the Punjab economy towards their economic vision of the state. The most appreciable proposal of the budget is a substantial enhancement of outlay in the sectors of agriculture, education, health and infrastructure. The most pertinent of all is an increase of 20% in the field of agriculture whereby adequate provisions for crop insurance and diversification of farming are earmarked to pave the way for agrarian reforms in the state. The most awaited initiatives in the field of education and health with satisfactory budgetary allocation are now visible in the state. The growth target of 9.5% appears to be ambitious, but is achievable while enforcing fiscal prudence, better tax compliance and eradication of corruption at all levels. The most worrisome factor is the surging state debt which needs to be curtailed with a specific strategy to reduce it in the coming years.
Jagdish Chander
Allocation for agri sector insufficient
With reference to the recent Budget presented in the Vidhan Sabha, the Punjab Government claims that it will benefit farmers in the long run, the ground reality is that there is no MSP for all crops in the proposals. In fact, the government has failed to provide MSP even for one crop i.e. summer moong that it tried to re-establish last year as part of crop diversification. If the government is really serious to tackle the ever-growing problem of stubble burning, subsidies on machinery like happy seeder need to be enhanced and farmers need to be given more incentives per acre for not setting the crop afire. Establishing more outlets of Verka outside Punjab is the right step as it will increase demand for milk products in the market and farmers can get more prices. Bringing crop insurance is also a step in the right direction, but its implementation always posses challenges for the government. The AAP dispensation needs to enhance the budget for subsidies in the agriculture-allied sectors like mushroom cultivation, fish farming, etc., as these have the potential to increase employment opportunities.
Harvinder Singh Chugh
govt must Focus on implementation
It is highly commendable that in the present budget the government did not impose any new tax and kept the focus towards the improvement and progress of agriculture, healthcare and educational sectors.The economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry. The performance of other sectors, such as industry, trade and transport and tourism do also add to the improvement of the economy. The existence of a well-equipped healthcare system and education system is essential for the welfare of people and progress of the state. Proper law and order is must for the economic growth and political interference in the work of police must be stopped. Success of a budget does not lie in the making but in its implementation.
SS Chahal
QUESTION
Riding the wave of change, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) came to power with a thumping majority in 2022. On its first anniversary, the government has reiterated its promise to turn the state into ‘Rangla Punjab’. How do you view the government’s performance in the past one year? Do you see the ‘badlav’ that it had promised?
Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to amritsardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (March 23).
