Navjot Sidhu meets Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit, flags state’s ‘deteriorating’ financial situation

PTI

Chandigarh, March 15

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday called on Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit here and sought an independent audit evaluation of the state’s ‘deteriorating’ financial situation.

The Congress leader also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

Speaking to reporters later, Sidhu, who was accompanied by party leaders Shamsher Singh Dullo and M S Kaypee, said the audit evaluation should be done by a group of financial experts.

Replying to a question, Sidhu asserted that he will not contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

He also attacked Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann over his claims that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would win all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab.

“Noise does not prove anything. Even a hen while laying an egg cackles as if she is laying an asteroid,” he said.

He alleged that Punjab was getting trapped in a vicious debt circle, but the ruling party did not talk about these burning issues.

In the memorandum to the Governor, Sidhu said, “I write to you as a deeply concerned citizen of Punjab, armed with verifiable facts and figures that paint a stark picture of our state’s mounting issues and the government’s negligence of people’s welfare”.

“According to the latest figures released by the Punjab Finance Department, the state’s debt is poised to skyrocket to an alarming Rs 4 lakh crore by the conclusion of the fiscal year 2024-25.

“This surge of Rs 47,262 crore in 2022-23, Rs 49,410 crore in 2023-24 and projected Rs 44,031 crore in this fiscal year underscores the perilous trajectory of our state’s financial health,” he said.

With an annual average of loans nearing Rs 47,000 crore annually, this concerning trend foreshadows a chilling forecast, Sidhu said.

“By the end of the tenure in 2027, the government is on track to saddle Punjab with a staggering debt of Rs 5,50,000 crore,” he said in the memorandum.

Previous governments, including the SAD and the Congress, were responsible for annual borrowings of Rs 15,000 crore and Rs 20,000 crore, according to the memorandum.

This spiralling debt is the consequence of the current government’s policies, he said.

Sidhu also accused the AAP government of indulging in vote bank politics and prioritising power over public welfare.

“The government’s failure to capitalise on revenue-generating sectors like mining, liquor, and cable, coupled with its patronage of mafia elements, exacerbates Punjab’s financial woes.

“While subsidies for the underprivileged are vital when provided through borrowings and loans for the sake of political gains, they inevitably inflict long-term harm on public welfare,” he said.

Sidhu also alleged that the betrayal of people’s trust by the current government in Punjab was glaringly evident with a spree of unfulfilled promises and a trail of broken commitments.

Key initiatives like providing Rs 1,000 every month, regularising 36,000 temporary teachers and ensuring minimum support price on 23 crops remain glaringly unmet, shattering the hopes of our citizens, he said.

Moreover, AAP, once the self-proclaimed beacon of hope, has tragically transformed Punjab into a state marred by relentless protests and dharnas, with every section of society clamouring for their rightful rights, he further mentioned.

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