Open House: Shouldn’t the govt ensure that social welfare schemes reach every section of society?

Such extravagance is a waste of public money

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CM Bhagwant Mann took the oath at Khatkar Kalan. They held a mega road show to show their strength and to thank people. They said they will work for the common man, till now that has not yet started. As of now they are using common man’s money. They are doing this mega event by spending Rs 2 crore which was not necessary, they should have made it simple and money spent on it could have been used on welfare schemes which they have promised. Every nook and corner of Punjab needs money for development. On one hand they are saying that police personals are deployed outside the residences of politicians and police stations are vacant while on the other hand, the full police force will be deployed in Khatkar Kalan for their security, contradiction in doing and saying. The security of common man is more important than anything else. Spending so much on swearing in ceremony is a gross misuse of public exchequer. Every penny of the public money should be spent on the people and fulfil all the guarantees they have promised to the people. We all are having very high expectations and regard for the new government. They will definitely bring change. Now it’s the time to come into action.

SHASHI KIRAN

Spend people’s money for their welfare

It is the new government’s responsibility to ensure that social welfare schemes and measures reach every section of society and don’t merely remain populist measures. The Aam Aadmi Party has won the election by a huge margin; people of Punjab have shown their faith in the progressive development-oriented agenda of the party. Now, as the new government is set to form, the onus of proving themselves, of delivering on the things promised falls on the shoulders of every elected member. Further, it is the media’s responsibility to fact-check the veracity and impact of various schemes that would surely be announced soon enough. The media has to remain honest, neutral in its reporting and try not to frame the narrative as, for or against the government, rather report the truth however ugly it may be. Most importantly, Mann and his Cabinet must spend on the development of Punjab and not on huge hoardings to be erected at every chowk proclaiming their good deeds. People’s hopes and dreams of a better future are pinned on this government and a failure to fulfil them would make the elected government answerable in the people’s court in the next state election.

Ridhi Chowdhary

Let’s hope for the best

The oath taking ceremony of the new CM of Punjab at the place of Bhagat Singh is just a symbolic act. Many previous governments also took oath at different places rather than in Chandigarh. What did they do to Punjab? Nothing! Their ministers only filled their coffers. Punjab, once a leading state in the country regarding prosperity, started going downhill so much so that the burden of financing has reached nearly three lakh crore or even more. So, to expect something miraculous from the incoming government is just a chimera. Even before the formation of the new government, the winning candidates of AAP are jostling with each other about the ministerial berth. Some are going to Delhi for getting one ministry or the other. Not only this government, all the previous governments were indulging in populist measures and not implementing in good governance. Had it been so, why the youth of Punjab are going to foreign countries to get a nice and purposeful life? The social welfare schemes and measures should reach all sections of society and not merely the acolytes of the ruling party as was happening before. Instead of benefiting the poor such welfare schemes were grabbed by the well heeled people in villages and towns. The police system, education and health need to be reinvigorated to help people all over the state. Let us hope for best as promised by the leader.

JS Wadhwa

Ruling state will not be a cakewalk

By giving a thumping majority to the AAP in the recently-held Punjab assembly election, people have vented their ire against the major traditional parties for their myopic vision, unethical politicking and tardy performance. Breaking the tradition, a grand oath-taking ceremony for the new Chief Minister was held at iconic freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s native village, Khatkar Kalan in Nawashahr. Now it is time for the Bhagwant Mann-led government to fulfil pre-poll promises and satisfy the expectations of the people to establish its credibility. The AAP MLAs are so enthusiastic about performance that they have already started checking schools, hospitals, police stations and other government offices. But it will not be a cakewalk as the state is in dire financial straits with a mounting debt of three thousand crore and a politically inexperienced new leadership. It should be humble, maintain political grace and decorum, and exercise restraint to provide clean governance. The government should generate revenue by reining in sand, liquor, transport and cable mafia and checking tax evasion. Apart from making provisions for liberal freebies for the poor and marginalised people, it has to work hard to solve the multiplicity of major problems facing all sections of society, including the youth and farmers. It should prepare a roadmap for updating the existing infrastructure in ailing sectors and improve departmental functioning. More important than merely wearing ‘basanti’ turbans and ‘dupattas’ and chanting ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ slogan is realising great revolutionary’s dreams of a just, equitable and egalitarian society.

DS Kang

Take concrete steps to address problems

The AAP’s spectacular victory in the Punjab Assembly election has received a positive welcome from the people. Rising above identity and polarising politics, they have rejected the entire traditional political class for its dirty maneuverings for personal promotion and gratification rather than working for the interests of the state and its citizens. The electorate has reposed its faith in the AAP leadership and overwhelmingly voted for a change. In a smooth, grand ceremony at Khatkar Kalan, great freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s birthplace, Bhagwant Mann has taken the oath of Chief Minister. It should be the top priority of the new dispensation to respect the sentiments and aspirations of the Punjabis and deliver on promises made in its election manifesto. It should sincerely endeavour to address the core issues confronting the state such as corruption, education, health, housing, unemployment, inflation, agriculture, industry, drugs, mining, ecology etc. Though the treasury is not burdened with huge pending bills and PM Modi has given assurances of support for the state’s welfare, the government should still explore other sources to boost its coffers to finance radical reforms. However, the road ahead is quite twisty and bumpy. The politically inexperienced government has to work very hard and initiate concrete steps to address these problems facing the people on priority basis. This massive mandate followed by good governance will also catapult the party’s image at the national level.

Simran & Tajpreet S Kang

Time will tell how the govt fares

Voters of the state have pinned their hopes with the new government. Mann has taken the oath secrecy of his office at Khatkar Kalan, the birth place of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, sidelining the old precedent. Crores of rupees have been spent by the government for the swearing-in ceremony. The produce on acres of land was removed for the parking of vehicles and swearing ceremony as the owners of the agriculture land will be compensated with funds released from state exchequer as compensation in future. There are a number of pre-poll promises made during the Assembly elections such as free 300 units of electricity, Rs 1,000 pension to women, high-tech education system, better health services, drugs free state etc. Kejriwal had clearly given guarantee for the implementation of his poll promises if voted to power within a stipulated period. Notably, Punjab is already under debt from various institutions and union government and some assets of the government are already mortgaged to various national banks. The state exchequer is in red. Now, time will tell what mechanism the new CM will do bring to fulfil the populist promises.

RAJAT KUMAR MOHINDRU

Possibilities of changes in every field

While the decision of choosing venue of Khatkar Kalan for oath taking ceremony is in consonance with revolutionary electoral victory of AAP, people’s expectations from new government towards fulfillment of promises made are consequentially high. Given the strong political mandate and track record of Delhi model, Punjab is poised to witness a pragmatic and visible transformation in political, economic, social and cultural fields. Real challenge for new governing dispensation is to convert all public aspirations into a reality. All pre poll populist measures announced by the winning party need to be taken on priority in a time bound manner, whereas to bring major reforms in fundamentals may take some time. However, it is now a celebrating fact that Punjab has ushered in a historical phase with possibilities of positive and revolutionary changes in every field.

JAGDISH CHANDER

Fulfil expectations of the people of state

Breaking tradition, the elected representatives of AAP collectively arranged an impressive victory rally at Amritsar, besides the party also set a unique example of commemorating the sacrifices of our freedom fighters by taking oath at Khatkar Kalan, ancestral place of Bhagat Singh. Notwithstanding the prerogative of the government to choose venue, however, incurring huge expenses and razing of standing crops across 150 acres merely for massive show of gathering looks awkward. Punjab is currently confronted with manifold problems. Top of the agenda needs to be creation of jobs to resolve unemployment for which evolving satisfactory working conditions is a basic issue. Among others, evil of corruption and heavy debt burden on the state is most worrisome. Ensuring higher transparency in working, zero tolerance against lawlessness & nepotism has to be shown to provide meaningful governance. The government will have to fulfil the expectations of the people.

Nirmaljit Singh Chatrath

QUESTION

With carbon emissions per person skyrocketing due to excessive energy consumption in summers, the use of ACs, vehicles and generators harm the environment most. Isn’t it time to collectively build pressure on the government to find sustainable energy solutions?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (March 24)