Punjab ministers release 5-month report card: 'Free power given, shamlat land reclaimed'

Chandigarh, August 16

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government today listed out their achievements in the first five months of their rule in the state.

The failings, grey areas

Direct seeding of rice

• The government had set a target of bringing 12 lakh hectares under the direct seeding of rice, but only 2 lakh hectares were covered.
• “This is the beginning. You will see the difference next year,” said Agriculture Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal.

Mukhtar Ansari

• Harjot Bains had said in the House UP strongman Mukhtar Ansari would be booked for staying in Ropar jail. No action has been taken.
• “The CM is getting the matter probed. He will be punished and those who helped him will be exposed,” Bains said.

Sacrilege cases

• There has been no action on the Behbal Kalan firing incident and sacrilege cases. The dharna against the government has started again.
• “The probe is on. Giving justice to victims and bringing closure to the pain of Sikhs is the priority,” said Harpal Cheema.

From talking of effectively managing the finances to getting the government land freed from encroachments, from tightening the noose around gangsters to 100 Aam Aadmi Clinics and 300 units of free power per month to domestic consumers, the ruling party also gave their vision for the future.

Five ministers — Harpal Cheema (Finance), Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal (Agriculture and Rural Development), Chetan Singh Jouramajra (Health), Harjot Bains (Jails, Mining and Education) and Harbhajan Singh ETO (Power) — presented the government’s report card at a press conference here today.

Cheema told the media the AAP government had taken historic decisions and was trying to bring in good governance.

“In the past five months, we have repaid loans and interest taken by previous governments worth Rs 12,339 crore, but borrowed only Rs 10,729 crore. I had promised in the Budget that we would increase the GST collection by 27 per cent. We have registered a 24.15 per cent growth. We have managed to eradicate the liquor mafia and excise collections are up by 43.47 per cent,” he said.

Jouramajra highlighted the setting up of 100 Aam Aadmi clinics, which were rolled out yesterday. “The government is committed to providing affordable healthcare. Public hospitals in Tarn Taran, Ludhiana and Jalandhar are being upgraded,” the Health Minister said, adding “the government is setting up two public medical colleges and a radiotherapy centre.

Bains highlighted the achievements of his departments. “The government has tightened the noose around gangsters and broken the nexus between them and jail officials. In five months, 2,088 mobile phones have been seized from inmates. Several technological interventions are being planned to stop smuggling in jails.”

Power Minister Harbhajan Singh said, “The pre-poll promise of 600 units of free power in two months has been fulfilled. On account of this, power subsidy bill will rise by Rs 5,629 crore.”

Agriculture Minister Dhaliwal said 9,053 acres of shamlat land illegally occupied by encroachers, had been reclaimed in the past five months. “The government is making efforts to break the wheat-paddy monoculture by introducing ‘moong’,” he added.