Residents flay govt’s proposal to purchase luxury cars

Sukhmeet Bhasin

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 20

City residents flayed the proposal of the state government to purchase “high-end” luxury vehicles for the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.

The residents said on the one hand, the state government was reeling under a financial crisis, but on the other it was spending unnecessary on these luxury vehicles.

They said the government had come up with the proposal despite the fact that at present, all bureaucrats and ministers had already good vehicles.

Gian Chand Bansal, a city resident, said, “The Punjab Government’s proposal to purchase luxury cars for the CM, ministers and MLAs worth crores is a cruel joke on the common man as it claims that its coffers are empty and any concession or relief cannot be given to the people.”

Prof NK Gosian, another resident, termed the decision unfortunate. He said the state was in debt and its fiscal condition did not allow the government to purchase costly cars. He said at present, the government found it tough to pay salaries to its employees.

“Many welfare schemes are dying due to lack of funds, but to please some of its ministers, the government is buying expensive cars,” he added.

BJP leader and Senior Deputy Mayor Tarsem Goyal also condemned the proposal. He said the state government should reduce its expenditure if it wanted to take Punjab ahead.

The BJP leader said it was sad that the government was reducing the salaries of the teachers and other employees, but at the same time, it was spending unnecessarily. He said, “It is wrong and against the tall claims made by Congress leaders during the Assembly election.”

Goyal said, “Firstly, the Congress government should fulfil the promises it had made to the public before the elections. Thereafter, vehicles should be purchased if the government saves extra money. It is hard-earned money of people, which should not be wasted.”

The state government had recently approved the entitlement of “high-end” luxury vehicles for the Chief Minister, ministers, MLAs and bureaucrats.

The state government had planned to purchase 432 vehicles under various categories. These will cost around Rs81 crore to the state exchequer.