AAP readies plan for health, education overhaul in Punjab

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, March 14

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is gearing up for a quick implementation of their guarantees in Punjab. Knowing that the expectations are high from the party after a massive mandate received from people, the party top brass has reportedly got into action to prepare a framework for overhaul of health and education infrastructure and ensuring 300 units of free power to all.

Free units likely to be offered first

• AAP govt plans to offer 300 units of free electricity in the tariff order to be effective from April 1
• This is the first of the poll promises, made by Arvind Kejriwal, likely to be implemented
• Data is being collected on the number of power consumers in each category and the total subsidy bill

Sources in the party have told The Tribune though the primary focus of the government now is on ensuring a smooth oath-taking ceremony, the party top brass is already in action to “frame guidelines” for education and healthcare policies, while deciding on immediate implementation of 300 units of free power in the power tariff order to be effective from April 1.

This is the first of the guarantees given by AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal that is likely to be implemented.

Data is already being collected on the total number of consumers in each category, the total power subsidy bill

of the government and unpaid subsidy. The state has 1 crore power consumers, including 73 lakh domestic consumers, 14 lakh agriculture consumers (who get free power supply), 11.50 lakh commercial consumers and 1.50 lakh industrial consumers. The annual power subsidy bill of the government is Rs 10,000 crore, including Rs 7,180 crore as power subsidy to just farmers.

It is learnt the top functionaries of the party are also looking at the state of finances. Though luckily for the AAP, the treasury has not been left with pending bills worth thousands of crores, as was done by the Akali-BJP government at the time of leaving charge in 2017.

Additional Chief Secretary Finance KAP Sinha told The Tribune they were comfortably placed to navigate through the finances. “There are no unpaid pending bills,” he said.

Sources say the new government is looking at increasing the revenue through excise and sand mining. The excise policy, which is to be implemented from April 1, is expected to see drastic overhaul in plugging evasion, especially by distilleries. The government wants to double the excise revenue this year, and it is learnt various schemes are being worked out.

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