Six months not enough to wipe out SAD-BJP's 'misrule': CM

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today hit out at his political rivals, saying six months were not enough for his government to wipe out the "10 years of misrule" by the previous SAD-BJP dispensation.
It is unfortunate that after plunging the state into one of its "worst" financial crisis, the SAD was resorting to "street politics" to undermine the numerous achievements of the Congress government, he claimed in a statement here.
He said his government had implemented many of his party's poll promises and had also started the process of bringing the "beleaguered" state economy back on track.
Taking a dig at the AAP, Amarinder alleged that the party followed a "negative political philosophy" and was still indulging in it, despite a severe setback in the Punjab assembly polls.

The chief minister said his government did not have a magic wand to wipe away the multifarious problems it had inherited from the 10 years of "misrule" of the previous SAD- BJP government.
Amarinder said the achievements of his government in just six months had not only set the stage for Punjab's development, but underlined its intentions and commitment to bring the state back on the path of progress.

The process to waive farm loans has been initiated and the state is waiting for central assistance for relaxation in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2003, and enhancement in the borrowing limit to enable the Punjab government to meets its debt waiver commitments, he said.

The chief minister said that he had already taken up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Regretting the delay in disbursement of salaries to government employees, Amarinder said the central government's Goods and Services Tax contribution had been pushed back to September from June, leading to the delay.
On the issue of drugs and unemployment, he said the special task force set up by his government had succeeded in breaking the backbone of the drugs mafia, and around 3 lakh jobs have been created in the state .
Amarinder said the Rs 5 per unit power tariff for industries would soon be notified and various projects were also being rolled out.

"The projects would, of course, take some time to be implemented, but once done the state, which had suffered immensely on this count under the previous government, would witness large-scale industrial revival," he said.
From social welfare schemes to development programmes, every Congress election promise is in the process of being implemented, the chief minister said, adding that to realise these goals time was needed.
The project to distribute smart-phones to youth is being worked out and in view of financial constraints, the government has to prioritise, with farm loan waiver topping the agenda, Amarinder added.