BATTLE FOR STATES Kejriwal promises tax reduction, annulling bus permits of Badals
POLL DOLE Manifesto vows to reduce power tariff, punishment to those causing loss to state
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday made a poll promise to “snatch away” the bus route permits of the ruling Badals and other politicians and to depoliticise Punjab’s transport policy, besides reducing taxes imposed on the industry.
“VAT and other taxes will be reduced based on the Delhi pattern. In five years, Punjab will have the lowest tax rate,” said the 22-point election manifesto that was released here by party national convener Arvind Kejriwal.
“Governments till now have been taking industrialists as thieves, but we in Delhi took them into confidence and our (Delhi) government earned `1,800 crore more as revenue despite VAT reduction from 12.5% to 5% in a phased manner in two years,” the Delhi chief minister said.
“Revenue traders in Delhi have begun paying taxes in absence of any inspector-raj or raid-raj now, and the same will come up in Punjab as well,” he said.
The manifesto announced scanning of all agreements that the state government signed with private players and annulment of those found illegitimate.
“Electricity tariff will be substantially reduced by ending corruption. Those found guilty of signing pacts with private parties, causing heavy losses to the state, will be punished,” it said. SILENT ON PUBLIC STAKE
While the AAP promised giving permits to unemployed youth and ex-servicemen, the manifesto did not mention any role of the public sector - the Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) and the Punjab Roadways, whose buses have been gradually vanishing from the roads in the last one decade.
Employees’ unions of both these units have been demanding their revival and review of the entire transport policy. ROOPNAGAR AS A HUB
The manifesto also announced conversion of Roopnagar as the second district after Ludhiana as the state’s industrial hub. ‘SUKHBIR WINDOW’
Accusing deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal of corruption, Kejriwal dubbed Punjab’s single window for industrialists as “Sukhbir window”.