SAD’S demand for Manpreet resignation ridiculous: Capt

Says it’s Akalis who are solely responsible for a deep financial crisis which Cong government led by him is striving hard to resolve

CHANDIGARH:PUNJAB chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday termed as ridiculous the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)’S demand for resignation of finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal in the wake of a debate triggered by Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu’s remark a few days back.

On Saturday, Bittu in a statement to the media hit out at Manpreet claiming that lack of funds for development works was the main grouse of the party MLAS in the state and officials in the finance ministry do not move files. “At the time of government formation in 2017, Manpreet Badal had said that in three years he will bring the state out of financial mess created by the previous Shiromani Akali Dalbharatiya Janata Party (SADBJP) government. Some of the poll promises have been fulfilled, but many still remain. Now, it’s time to act.”

As Bittu’s statement brought the spotlight back on already worsening fiscal crisis in the state government that is finding it hard to release salaries of its employee, the Congress MP’S statement was picked by the Akali Dal to hit out at the finance minister. Former Akali minister Bikram Majithia wasted no time demanding Manpreet’s resignation for allegedly failing to convince even the MPS from his own party.

In a press release, the CM said SAD’S demand for Manpreet’s resignation was uncalled for since it is the Akalis who are solely responsible for the financial

Just before the 2017 assembly elections, then SAD-BJP govt added ₹31,000 crore loan burden on the state on account of food grain procurement from the central pool.

CAPT AMARINDER SINGH, CM

crisis which his government was striving hard to resolve.

“For 10 years, the Akalis messed up the state’s economy for their own vested interests and due to their ill-conceived and anti-people policies. All the money in the state’s coffers was wasted by the Akalis and their ally BJP during their decadelong misrule, with no positive measures taken to boost the economy,” Amarinder said.

He said businesses were forced to flee the state as a result of their negative policies, which completely crushed the investors’ sentiment, leading to a huge debt burden that his government was still struggling to get out of.

“Just months before the 2017 assembly elections, the then SAD-BJP government added ₹31,000 crore loan burden on the state on account of food grain procurement from the central

pool, which had aggravated the fiscal crisis of Punjab. The poor financial condition was a legacy which his government inherited from the Akalis, who are now shedding crocodile tears over a crisis of their own making,” he said.

Amarinder said his government, particularly the finance ministry, was doing everything in its capacity to revive the economy by restoring investors’ confidence,

pointing to the ₹50,000 crore on-ground investment that was realised through the new industrial policy and the ease of doing business.

Unfortunately, the Central government’s failure to manage the Goods and Service Tax (GST) compensation and pay the state’s share of it on time was obstructing his government’s efforts to restore the economy in Punjab, Amarinder lamented.