Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Arvind Khanna criticizes Punjab Govt's financial mismanagement
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, September 9, 2024: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Vice President and former MLA Arvind Khanna has expressed deep concern over the Punjab government's alleged mismanagement of the state treasury.
In a statement issued today, Khanna blamed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, for the financial crisis that Punjab is currently facing.
He stated that the government, under Mann's leadership, has failed to manage Punjab's finances effectively.Khanna criticized the government for making unrealistic promises during election campaigns, both in Punjab and other states, in an effort to secure votes.
He claimed that the state treasury has been drained, primarily due to these campaigns and mismanagement.
According to Khanna, Chief Minister Mann has now written to the Central Government, seeking an increase in the state's borrowing capacity. However, Khanna argued that this move will further tarnish Punjab's reputation across the country.
He accused the AAP government of recklessly wasting public funds to appease its leadership and urged the government to focus on fulfilling its pre-election promise of making Punjab a profitable state.
Khanna also pointed out that despite no substantial work being done on the ground, the government has been spending large sums on media campaigns to mislead the public.
He expressed concern that the government's decision to increase the loan limit by ₹10,000 crore would only push the state deeper into debt. A large portion of the increased loan, amounting to ₹23,900 crore, will be used merely to pay off interest on previous loans, further sinking Punjab into financial distress.
The BJP leader concluded by calling on the Mann-led government to take responsibility for its actions and implement concrete policies to steer Punjab out of its economic crisis, rather than relying on further borrowing. He emphasized that the promise of making Punjab a profitable state by reducing its debt must be fulfilled immediately.