AAP raises pvt school fees, agrarian crisis with Punjab Guv

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today sought Punjab Governor's intervention in exorbitant fees charged by private schools, agrarian crisis, chit fund scandals and law and order situation in the state.
A delegation of the AAP's Punjab unit, led by Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly H S Phoolka, met the governor V P Singh Badnore here.
The delegation raised the issues of private schools charging heavy fees from students in contradiction to the court and government directions, to provide relief to farmers by waiving the farm loans, scams by the chit fund companies like Pearl, Crown, and deteriorated law and order situation in the state.

After meeting the governor, Phoolka told reporters that the private schools in the state are charging heavy amount of fees from students not only in the name of annual admission fee but also re-admission fees, books and school uniforms.
The schools are flaying the guidelines of government and court, he claimed.
He said that in government schools, books and uniforms have not been provided to students especially belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) and the action of private schools is clear violation of Right to Education (RTE) Act which has not being implemented by the state government.

Raising the issue of agrarian crisis in Punjab, Phoolka said that the economic condition of farmers across the state is in poor health and "every day suicides are being committed by them."

He said that the Congress party in its election manifesto promised to provide relief to farmers by waiving the farm loans but no relief in any form has been provided till date.
He said that it is the need of hour to provide immediate relief to farmers by waiving loans.
Speaking about the alleged financial scams by chit fund companies like Pearl, Crown, Phoolka said that these companies and their Directors had purchased substantiate properties under the shell companies.
"It is the duty of the police to investigate and find such properties. These properties should also be attached and auctioned to refund the money to investors," he said.

He said that the government must ensure that such scams do not take place in future and hard earned savings of innocent citizens are protected.
The management of Gian Sagar Institute of Medical Sciences, owners of Pearl Company, should be held responsible for the mess created by the institute and trustees should be held responsible for it, he said.
The government should immediately take over the institute to secure the future of students and properties of trustees should be confiscated, he said.
Phoolka said that the law and order situation in the state is going from "bad to worse."
"The reason for deterioration of law and order is that the members of the ruling party are trying to take over the control of illegal trades and goonda tax," he said.

He alleged that such illegal trades and goonda tax was earlier controlled by the Akali Dal leaders and now instead of stopping it, the "Congress leaders are taking over control of the same.