Manmohan releases Punjab Cong manifesto, party promises all-round growth

Amarinder Singh blamed Akali-BJP govt for messing up finances and assured to waive off farmer's debt

The Congress on Monday fielded well-known economist and former prime minister Manmohan Singh to spell out the party's agenda in poll-bound Punjab.

Manmohan Singh released the Congress poll manifesto detailing how the party plans to pull the agrarian state out of the financial abyss that the ruling Akali-BJP combine has allegedly pushed it into.

Punjab's 117 member assembly will have polls on February 4; results will be out on March 11.

The Congress is trying hard to wrest power from the Akali-BJP combine which has been ruling the state for the past decade.

Alleging that policies of the ruling Badal family have ruined Punjab's economy and social fabric, the Congress virtually promised the moon to the voters in the 120 page document, saying it will waive off loans of small farmers, provide 20 lakh jobs to youth, boost the sagging industry, eliminate drug menace in four weeks and make the administration responsive and transparent while ending the VVIP culture.

However, a look at Punjab's budget data for 2016-17 showed the state had a staggering debt of Rs 1.38 lakh crore, its revenue receipts were only Rs 50,180 crore out of which the state's share is only 68 per cent. Further, the state's fiscal deficit target was 2.88 indicating limited scope for borrowings to fund all the promises.

"This election manifesto is a forward-looking visionary document which promises the people of Punjab that we will undo the damage that has been done to the economy by the state government in the last 10 years. The present set-up has not been able to make adequate use of the potential which exists in Punjab," said Manmohan.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh blamed the Akali-BJP government for messing up the finances and assured to waive off farmer's debt.

"The state government has been operating by selling land and buildings, mortgaging buildings, even old age homes and hospitals are mortgaged to raise funds. Some funds have been raised by Mandi Boards. To build roads and infrastructure some of the villages have been mortgaged for seven years," said Amarinder.

"We will create a pool of land. So, we will put lands in various pools for the industrial houses which come and spends a certain amount of money and guarantees jobs," he added.

"We will take care of the debt of every farmer in Punjab, negotiate with the bank and we will service the payment of their loans, This is supposed to be the job of the government of India and Rahulji and some of us went to meet the prime minister on this issue," he said.

The former chief minister said the Congress will eliminate mafia in excise, fee and auction and announce a new industrial policy within 90 days if it was voted to power.

"In the last couple of years, over a lakh of crore of rupees have been spent by Punjabi industrialists outside the state, and people from those states are being taken into jobs which really should be coming to Punjab and Punjabi money should be invested in Punjab. As far as Punjabi worker is concerned, everybody admits that the output of Punjabi worker is very-very good," he said.

Noting that legislative and policy reforms too would follow, Amarinder in a move to push transparency, said he will make it mandatory for all lawmakers to make their salaries, allowances online, besides declaring their immovable property every year on the floor of the assembly.

"A zero tolerance policy against corruption will be stringently followed. All government expenditure will be subjected to third-party audit," said Amarinder.

Further, 33 per cent reservation for women in jobs, free education from Class I to PhD for all girls and house for all poor have promised by the Congress in Punjab.