Punjab: Budget session likely to witness fireworks

The Punjab Assembly's Budget session beginning Thursday is likely to be a stormy affair with opposition parties planning to corner the Congress-led government over issues like power tariff hike, state's poor fiscal health, and unemployment.

While the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said the government has failed to fulfil its promise to replenish Punjab's coffers, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) claimed that the state is reeling under the highest-ever power tariff.

"Health, education and power tariff are the burning issues of Punjab which will be taken up by the party in the state assembly during the Budget session," AAP MLA and Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema said on Wednesday.

"Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal had promised to improve the fiscal situation in three years but still the state government says its coffers are empty. If he cannot improve the fiscal situation, then he should resign," he said.

Senior SAD leader Daljit Singh Cheema hit out at the Chief Minister Amarinder Singh-led government, saying it has "failed" to check "lawlessness and mafia raj" in the state.

"Not even a single poll promise has been fulfilled by the state government ever since it came to power," he said.

Akali leader Bikram Singh Majithia claimed that the power tariff had almost doubled since the SAD-BJP tenure.

"The people of Punjab are reeling under all-time high power (tariff) hike. It (power tariff) went up to Rs 9-10 per unit from only Rs 5.50 per unit during the SAD-BJP tenure," he said.

The SAD accused the government of striking "underhand deals" with the management of private thermal plants, resulting in a loss of Rs 4,100 crore to the state exchequer.

It also rubbished the state government's claims of having provided 11 lakh jobs to unemployed youth.

The Akalis had on Wednesday met Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Rana K P Singh and sought a 15-day Budget session to discuss various issues of public importance.

Addressing the media after submitting a memorandum to the Speaker, Majithia said the Congress government should not run away from debate and that the Opposition should be given appropriate time during the Budget session to take up people's issues.

The Budget will be presented on February 25 and the session will be adjourned sine die on February 28, according to tentative schedule.