Govt committed to fulfil all pre-poll guarantees: Mann

Previous govts had no road map and worked directionless. BHAGWANT MANN,

CM

CHANDIGARH : Taking a dig at the opposition for failing to meet the aspirations of the people of Punjab, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that his government was committed to meet all guarantees given to the people before the state polls and the AAP dispensation will perform like the way no other party has performed since independence.

“I can understand the pain of my colleagues in the opposition is very deep, as they know we are going to perform and stay here for a long time,” said Mann during a discussion on the Budget in the Punjab assembly.

He said that the thumping mandate given by the people of Punjab to the Aam Aadmi party (AAP) has given a clear signal that people were fed up with the previous dispensations.

“I was doing well as a stage artist, but the political leaders who are sitting in opposition forced me to take a political plunge, because they ruined Punjab. I was happy in making people laugh but I realised that people laugh only when they are happy and all their needs are met,” he told the house, adding the AAP government will perform in such a way that other parties have not done in 75 years after the independence.

“Any bureaucrat or official and politician of our party or the opposition caught on a wrong foot or indulging in a wrong doing will not be spared,” Mann said. Mann added that his government will boost up health and education sectors and would start giving 300 units of free power from July 1, for which ₹ 1,800 crore has been allocated in the budget. “I am gathering resources for giving ₹ 1,000 to women of the state and I assure it will be done in two, four- or six-months’ time,” he said.

Mann added that the AAP government has given a road map, giving a clear picture of its intentions. “Earlier the government had no road maps and worked directionless,” he added.

Mann said that he was open to suggestions and will work to increase revenue and stop the leakage. “We will bring lot of money in the government coffers and would spend on the people of Punjab,” he announced.

Govt to constitute tax intelligence unit: Cheema

Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, while concluding the discussion, informed the house that the government would constitute tax intelligence unit to plug revenue losses.

Highlighting the functioning of AAP government in its three months, he said it has so far not gone into financial over draft whereas the previous Congress regime was in overdraft for total 210 days on three different occasions in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

Cheema told the house that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had rightly said that 20% of Punjab’s finances were usurped owing to corrupt practices and it has been proved true.

“We will plug the leakage of state finances and corrupt will go to jail,” he added.

Ruckus over Chadha in speaker’s gallery

The members of the opposition parties and the treasury bench sparred over the presence of Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha in the speaker’s gallery.

It began after leader of opposition Bajwa, during Cheema’s address, pointed towards Chadha, saying the ruling party were trying to appease the one who’s sitting in the gallery. “Who are you to raise questions on any one sitting in the gallery as it’s the prerogative of the speaker,” Cheema said.