Bajwa seeks explanations from AAP about sources to fund free power and other welfare schemes

April 22, 2024 10:51 am

Published by: thefactnews

The Fact News Service

Chandigarh, August 4

Expressing serious concern over the dwindling fiscal health of Punjab under the 17-month regime of the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa on Thursday asked the AAP government to explain how would it continue with the welfare schemes including the free power scheme?

While citing a news report, Senior Congress Leader Bajwa said that as per the new rule, the government will now have to pay the power subsidy to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) in advance or risk the imposition of the unsubsidised tariff on all categories of consumers.

“Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant boasts about completing a year with the free power scheme, yet due to the failure of the AAP government to strengthen the fiscal health of the state, it faces the toughest time to carry on with same scheme”, Bajwa added.

Bajwa said that the total power subsidy bill of the state for this fiscal is Rs 20243.76 crore. According to a news report, till July 31, the government has cleared its power subsidy bill of Rs 6,762 crore. However, the second installment of Rs 1,804 crore (to clear the outstanding subsidy amount of Rs 9,020 crore) is yet to be paid. Similarly, the government has yet to implement the scheme to provide Rs 1000 per month to women over the age of 18 years.

“Under the present circumstances, the AAP government has been left with no other option than borrowing funds from various sources. The state’s debt burden currently stands at Rs 3.12 lakh crore. As the government has failed to uplift the economic conditions of the state debt burden are going to increase. It is contrary to the promises made by the AAP before elections”, Bajwa added.