Monday, December 14, 1998
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P U N J A B | |
Monday, December 14, 1998 |
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spotlight today's calendar |
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Punjab
bankruptcy — half-truths CBI
probe against Tohra sought |
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Government
‘failures behind defeat in Adampur’ Government
expenditure 'extravagant' Quash
FIR against FCI official: SP Hand
over gurdwaras to "secular" Sikhs: Bitta Fog
signal post to caution trains Hike
in sales tax on petrol condemned |
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Punjab
bankruptcy — half-truths CHANDIGARH, Dec 13 — When the ruling Akali-BJP leaders allege that the current fiscal mess in which Punjab, an otherwise prosperous state, has landed is not of their making, they are only stating half-truths. "It is the legacy of the Congress and not of our making", Finance Minister Kanwaljit Singh would have the people believe. The same way when the Congress says that the Akalis have created a mess and it calls for a financial emergency and thus the dismissal of the Badal government, it too is stating half-truths. In fact, anyone caring to look at the facts would see that this brinkmanship by the two sides only tries to cover the real issues. And, unless these real issues which concern the path of development, the populist politics and spendthrift bunch of politicians are discussed, they would go unaddressed. Look at the facts. Financial resources have been falling from 1984 onwards. There were ruling governors, the Congress in power and now the ruling coalition of the Akalis and the BJP. Each year, these increased, starting with a deficit of Rs 20 crore in 1985, touching Rs 1101 crore when the Congress ruled and now crossing Rs 1500 crore. A government document lists that because of excessive expenditure on administration (62 per cent or Rs 3654 crore) it has no resources to fund its plans. For the current year, Punjab would require Rs 1500 crore to fund development and pay the salaries. Then there is increasing indebtedness of the state government. A whopping Rs 24,022 crore, 45 per cent of the GSDP! The police expenditure has increased from a bare Rs 55 crore in 1985 to Rs 850 crore — an increase of 15.5 per cent. Non-plan expenditure has shot from Rs 786 crore to Rs 5600 crore during the nine years as is the case with the employees. Their number rose from 2,91,668 in 1985 to 3,73,468 in 1997. The Plan expenditure, which is listed as at Rs 2500, may ultimately mean just Rs 1800 crore. Revenue from state taxes has not kept pace, the document says. But it was just Rs 567 crore in 1986 and it is now Rs 3465 crore. The Punjabis are heavily taxed. It is another matter that the present regime is lax and allowing the collection of taxes at a slow pace. The government has admitted that explicit subsidies total up to Rs 106 crore and implicit Rs 2927 crore. Power takes the major slice of Rs 486 crore and then comes irrigation with Rs 362 crore. Social services in all cost Rs 1151 crore and any welfare state has to be proud of that. But can the state sustain it! What conclusions can be drawn from this summary? One, the mess is the result of some kind of populism over the years and Mr Parkash Singh Badal is not the only Chief Minister. At one level, the farmers and other sections are being appeased and at another level they are being fleeced for which they are cursing the government. Look at the paddy mess and the cotton crop and the plight of the growers. Mr Badal has provided free water and power to the farmers. He says what else he could do? But this has only deprived the state of any fresh funding from the World Bank and international agencies. Clearly the Akalis like their predecessors do not understand that callousness of the market forces. They are either trying to tinker in favour of the farmers or else they are just helpless. Right now the country is being pushed to the corner by the world's new trade regime. The World Trade Organisation is helping the agriculturally surplus countries to push their produce to India. Once that happens, the plight of the farmers will worsen. The farm sector needs much more than mere appeasement. This kind of populism like free power which the Congress is promising in Haryana now and thus blocking any sensible approach to reform the power sector should be a lesson to Punjab. Secondly, the kind of situation in which Punjab has landed is prevailing in most of the states. One reason is that all elastic resources like income tax, excise duty and customs etc are with the Centre and all inelastic sources with the states. And the states bear the major burden of development. The Akalis like the Communists and some other parties have been demanding that the states be given more autonomy in fiscal matters as in political ones. But now they are silent. How far can the state raise money from sales tax and liquor excise. Haryana's experiment with prohibition is only a sad reminder. The Centre did not help at all. So why are the Akalis not raking up this issue instead of a non-issue like Udham Singh Nagar. Where does this kind of politics stand today? Those who indulge in populism and cloud the real issues and the hard choices, make easy victories. But they shall surely land up in messy situations. Populism and appeasement have limits. One day the rulers will have to address to this hard fact that nothing can be given free of cost. Only social welfare needs to be taken care of. But those who can shall have to pay. The government has to devise ways to effectively intervene and check the callousness of the market operations. Also, there has to be intervention at the level of policy makers to check the present day agrarian crisis and push up industrialisation. Take one concrete instance. Punjab is overstaffed. It is heavy from top to bottom. Can Mr Badal stop fresh recruitments? As yet he does not know that there is no money from his ambitious Anandpur Sahib projects and the largesse he has announced for all the religions, the state does not have a paisa. Many financial experts
feel that the time to make issues and choices clear
before the people has come. But not many rulers are
ready. This would mean moving from one mess to another. |
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'Impose'
financial emergency BATHINDA, Dec 13 — The Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (Beopar Cell) today urged the Governor of Punjab to impose the financial emergency in the state and dismiss the present government as the state had become bankrupt. In a press statement issued here today, the chairman of Beopar Cell, Mr Madan Lal Kapoor, alleged that the SAD-BJP combine government had brought the state on the brink of economic disaster by misusing and wasting thousands of crores of rupees. He added that now the minister concerned was making irresponsible statements to cover the follies to the Punjab Government. He said that due to the bankruptcy of the state government all development would come to a grinding halt and the project of mega oil refinery to be set up in this district would remain on papers only. He alleged that the major portion of the Budget was diverted to the constituency of the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. The facility of free electricity to the rural people was extended at the cost of urban people. He pointed out that the government had given instructions to the district treasuries not to pass any cheques except those belonging to the employees. Even the monthly allowances of former MLAs and MLCs had not been paid for the past many months. He alleged that now the
state government was issuing false statements on the
financial health of Punjab to misguide the people and to
remain in power. He added that the people in Adampur had
taught a lesson to the present political masters of the
state affairs by defeating the SAD candidate. |
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Congress
asks Opposition to unite AMRITSAR, Dec 13 — The state Congress today appealed to leaders of the opposition parties to put an end to the alleged ‘financial loot’ by the SAD-BJP government in the state. In a written statement issued here, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa, a former Public Relations Minister, alleged that due to "wrong policies" of the state government, the financial situation of the state had reached a point of no return. He said in such a situation it had become a moral duty of the opposition parties to find a way out. In an appeal to the President of India, the former minister said the President should immediately declare a financial emergency in the state and demanded the resignation of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal. Mr Bajwa demanded from the Central Government to order a CBI enquiry into the alleged "procurement scam" of paddy. He alleged that Akali and BJP ministers had purchased discoloured paddy worth crores of rupees at much lower prices and later forced the Food Corporation of India to buy the same at the support price. PHILLAUR: The Punjab Youth Congress Senior Vice-President, Mr Parminder Singh Mehta, has urged the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, to immediately issue a White Paper on the present financial crisis in the state. Talking to mediapersons
here on Sunday, he alleged that corruption had been
spreading in the state during the SAD-BJP government. |
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CBI
probe against Tohra demanded LUDHIANA, Dec 13 — Supporters of the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, have accused the SGPC president, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra of misusing SGPC funds for his political gains and have demanded a CBI inquiry into this. In a strongly worded statement issued to the press, Jathedar Amarjit Singh Bhatia, vice-president of the SAD and member of the SGPC, Mr Mal Singh Ghuman, Jathedar Kirpal Singh and Mr Davinder Singh Cheema all members of the SGPC, alleged that the money offered as offertory in gurdwaras was being misused by the SGPC chief. The four leaders also alleged embezzlement of funds in various educational institutions being run by the SGPC and managed by various trusts. The four leaders, while supporting Mr Badal, said that he was a "pillar" of the Sikh community. They alleged that the demand by Mr Tohra for the appointment of a new president of the Shiromani Akali Dal was a move to weaken the Panth and the government. They have alleged that Mr Tohra had been at his tactics by blackmailing Mr Badal to induct some of his own favourites in the Akali ministry. They said that Mr Tohra had been tarnishing the reputation of the highest religious seat of the Sikhs. The SGPC chief should resign from the post of the president of the SGPC if he wanted to fulfil his political ambitions and then try his hand in the Sikh politics, they said. The leaders said that it
was paradoxical that the SGPC chief had compared Mr Badal
to Maharaja Ranjit Singh only a few days back and was now
demanding his removal. |
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Amritsar
— victim of govt apathy AMRITSAR: The alleged apathy of the state government towards the 421-year-old historical city of Amritsar, the summer capital of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, has earned the wrath of Bhai Ranjit Singh, Jathedar Akal Takht, intellectuals, social workers and organisations.The regime of Maharaja Ranjit Singh is considered as a “golden period” for Amritsar. However, the SAD-BJP Government which had promised governance on the pattern of Maharaja Ranjit Singh has disappointed the residents of Amritsar. The SAD chief, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, seems to have forgotten all promises made to the residents of Amritsar before the elections. The Amritsar Vikas Manch general secretary, Mr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, said it was a matter of concern that the Akalis, who got all strength from the Golden Temple and Akal Takht, had forgotten the city after coming into power. The overall condition of the city is deplorable.Amritsar, founded by Guru Ram Dass, is virtually a religious, political, educational and commercial capital of Punjab. The city has a rich cultural heritage. However, the state government has turned a deaf ear towards the demands of the residents of this historical city. While the state government has taken pains to convert Anandpur Sahib as the eighth wonder of the world as a part of the tercentenary celebrations of Sikhs, Amritsar has been ignored so far as its overall development is concerned. while criticising the state government’s alleged apathy towards the overall development of the city, Bhai Ranjit Singh said as, lakhs of people would simultaneously visit Anandpur Sahib and Amritsar for the tercentenary celebration, Amritsar too should be given due importance by the SGPC, the SAD and the state government. A casual visitor to the city sees heaps of garbage littered all around, stray cattle on the international Amritsar-Wagha road and encroachments. The land mafia has not only encroached government and private land but also unauthorised raised religious structures on the GT Road. The Amritsar Vikas Manch general secretary, Mr Charanjit Singh Gumtala, alleged that Mr Parkash Singh Badal, Chief Minister, had given big projects like an oil refinery at Phulon Khari (Bathinda), a cement project and many other big projects to the Malwa and Doaba regions, ignoring the Majha region. Several projects which were announced by Mr Badal for Amritsar had not been set up so far due to the reasons best known to him. The projects announced by Mr Badal that could not see the light of the day included the daily cargo flight from Amritsar.The roads leading to the Golden Temple are in bad shape. The Phula Singh-Golden Temple marg witnesses heavy traffic due to the non-vacation of open spaces by truck owners and workshops. This hampers smooth flow of traffic towards the historic Jallianwala Bagh and the Golden Temple. With the result, heavy vehicles of foreign pilgrims cannot go directly to the Golden Temple and Jallianwala Bagh. A batch of German pilgrims recently went back in protest without paying obeisance at the Golden Temple when their double-decker bus was brought back by the administration from near the temple. Heavy vehicles are allowed to reach the Golden Temple only after 8 p.m owing to traffic problems because of encroachments by the land mafia.Amritsar has been ignored by the successive governments from time to time as no big project was given to the city. At one time, Amritsar was much more developed than Lahore which is only 50 km from here. However, due to the apathy of the successive state governments, Lahore witnessed more development than Amritsar.The apathy of the government caused a colossal damage to the development of Amritsar city. Doordarshan Kendra and AIR were initially opened at Amritsar. However, they were shifted to Jalandhar. The surgical ward of the Children’s Hospital was shifted from Amritsar to Patiala. Amritsar has no head office of any department or board like Patiala. While Patiala has the head offices of the PSEB, the Excise and Taxation Department, the NIS, the DCW, the Pollution Control Board etc, no such office is being operated from the holy city.The “Gateway of India” on the Amritsar-Wagha border the foundation stone of which was laid by Mr Badal during the Akali-Janata Government in the seventies, widening of Rajasansi road, the four-laning of the Amritsar-Jalandhar GT Road and airport projects have been hanging fire. The Amritsar Vikas Manch
alleged that the state government had not honoured the
commitment made by the then Chief Minister, Mr Surjit
Singh Barnala, to form a Amritsar development authority
even 13 years after the announcement. No township had
been developed by the Punjab Urban Development Authority
in Amritsar city. So much so the Akali Dal had shifted
its head office from Amritsar to Chandigarh. |
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Government
‘failures behind defeat in Adampur’ BATHINDA, Dec 13 — Large-scale corruption in government offices, political patronage to the corrupt officials, grabbing of government and private land by the people belonging to the ruling party in the state and purchase of government property and public sector units at throwaway prices in fake auctions by certain politicians have led to the defeat of the SAD candidate in the recently held Adampur assembly byelection. These facts were revealed by the Punjab unit of the People's Union of Civil Liberties (PUCL) in its report prepared after conducting a sample survey on the defeat of the ruling party's candidate. In the report released to the mediapersons here today, Dr Vineeta Gupta, member, national council of the PUCL, said the survey revealed that lack of social justice, ever-increasing lawlessness, undue political interference in the police functioning and non-fulfilment of tall promises made by the SAD with the people during the assembly elections were the other major factors which led to the defeat of the SAD's candidate in the byelection. The report said that instead of accepting the defeat of his candidate due to these reasons, SAD President Parkash Singh Badal was trying to shift the burden of defeat on to the Central Government for the price rise. The report said the facility of free power for agriculture purposes benefited only big farmers, while the small and marginal farmers were not economically sound enough to avail this facility. They were still burdened with the power bills. The report said that people were also fed up with the present government as their hopes and expectations were dashed to the ground due to the fact that the SAD-BJP alliance never tried to fulfil the tall promises made to the people by them before the assembly elections. Other major factors for
the defeat of the ruling party's candidate were the huge
expenditure on unproductive projects, misappropriation of
crores of rupees meant for development of infrastructure
in the state by bureaucrats and their political masters
and alienation of urban and rural people from the present
rulers of the state. |
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Government expenditure 'extravagant' JALANDHAR, Dec 13 (PTI) — The CPI today severely attacked the Congress for its planned celebrations of tercentenary of Khalsa Panth saying the move, aimed at occupying the fundamentalist space within the Sikh polity, was unfortunate and the liberal outlook was increasingly coming under attack. "At a time when religious fundamentalism is fast re-gaining the upper hand and the Sikh clergy was refusing to correctly interpret the message from recent gurdwara elections abroad, the Congress decision to join Khalsa celebrations' bandwagon was extremely unfortunate" party state secretary Dr Joginder Dayal told PTI here. He said the governments, whether state or central, must remain a secular entity while such celebrations should be left to religious fora. "Instead of dipping into the treasury, already broke due to fiscal mismanagement, the fund raising for such celebrations should be a private effort", Dr Dayal said adding the BJP was keeping mum on the "loot" of state exchequer because it would open the way in future for similar extravagant expenditure to please the Hindu right. "Top Sikh clergy's stubborn refusal to learn from the message from moderates' victory in Canada gurdwara elections and bring about a change in its outlook augured ill for the state's polity," Dr Dayal said. Commenting on the tuff-fight between Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and SGPC president Gurcharan Singh Tohra which escalated recently after the latter asked the Chief Minister to step down from party president's post Dr Dayal said the squabbles within the ruling party were not merely an internal affair but would affect the polity at large. He said the hard-line statements issued by certain top religious and political leaders coupled with the murder of Tara Singh Hayer, known for his moderate stance scared the people away from the ruling Akali Dal resulting in its defeat in Adampur. "The result of
Adampur Assembly byelection which was won by the Congress
by a water-thin margin, has vindicated our party's stand
that the only way to defeat the communal SAD-BJP combine
was for secular forces to come under one banner", he
said. |
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Quash
FIR against FCI official: SP AMRITSAR, Dec 13 — Mr Rajinder Dhoke, SP, (headquarters), in his inquiry report, submitted to the SSP, Mr G.S. Sahota, has recommended quashing of the FIR lodged against Mr Dharmpal, an FCI officer, at Islamabad police station on the basis of a 'fabricated' medico legal report. The report has also recommended strict action against the landlord, the complainant under Section 182 of the IPC for lodging a false complaint against Dharampal. Talking to TNS Mr Dhoke said the entire FIR lodged by the landlord was found to be concocted. According to veteran CPI leader Satya Pal Dang, the landlord wanted to evict Dharampal from his premises so he lodged a false FIR against the tenant. It was alleged in the FIR that Dharampal, along with his relatives attacked the landlord and inflicted injuries on him. A doctor son of the landlord, who was working at Government Medical College, allegedly succeeded in getting a false medical legal report issued by his colleague. Mr Dang, in his complaint had alleged that the doctor also approached other party and offered to give them the false legal report too. This offer could be proved with a tape-recorded exchange between the doctor and the other party. However, on the basis of the false medico-legal report, Mr Dharmpal, and his nephew Krishan Lal were arrested along with other two persons. They were sent to jail till they were granted bail by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Mr Maheshinder Singh
Grewal, Minister for Mecdical Education, Punjab, has also
directed the Principal, Government Medical College, to
conduct an inquiry into the case before taking a strict
departmental action against the alleged erring doctor.
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Hand over gurdwaras to
"secular" Sikhs: Bitta AMRITSAR, Dec 13 — Mr Maninderjit Singh Bitta, a former president of the Indian Youth Congress has asked the Canadian Ambassador to hand over management of the gurdwaras in Canada to secular Sikhs, which were collecting funds for the cause of "Khalistan". During his recent meeting with the Canadian Ambassador at Delhi, Mr Bitta alleged that some gurdwaras were being managed by pro-Khalistan Sikhs. The funds, collected by these gurdwaras were being sent to India for promoting militancy, he alleged. Talking to The Tribune, here today, Mr Bitta claimed that the Canadian Ambassador assured him that he would send his (Mr Bitta's) feelings to the government of Canada. However, Mr Bitta said that the Canadian Ambassador alleged that the Indian government was not cooperating in identifying the pro-Khalistani youths who had gone to Canada on "fake passports". Mr Bitta alleged that hundreds of pro-Khalistani youths had gone to Canada and the USA on "fake passports". He further sought the cooperation of Canada and US Governments to weed out the pro-Khalistani elements from their countries as they had lowered the name of Sikhism all over the world. On the recent controversy over "Guru Ka langar" (community kitchen), Mr Bitta said that the Sikhs of Canada had given their verdict against the ‘hukamnama’. The verdict had shown that they were against the imposition of decisions. He further said that during the time of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, foreign Sikhs had gone away from the Indian Sikhs. After a long gap, they had come closer to the Indian Sikhs. He said that the killing of Mr Tara Singh Hayer, Editor, Indo-Canadian Times should be an eye opener for everybody. He said drastic steps needed to be taken to undo the wrongs of the past. Mr Bitta said that activities of certain top leaders in India and abroad point towards the revival of militancy in Punjab. He also alleged that the Pakistan's ISI could be behind the activities of certain leaders promoting the "cult of violence". He said that the Congress party made sacrifices for bringing normalcy. Mr Bitta said that the Congress won't allow the revival of "Bhindranwale's days in the border state. Mr Bitta said that the Congress would celebrate the tercentenary celebrations of the Sikh Panth in a befitting manner and make people of the state aware of the alleged "sordid" designs of certain militant outfits aimed at reviving militancy. Mr Bitta said that the
central government should not give Rs 300 crore to the
SGPC as demanded by Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a protege
of Mr Tohra. He said that the Central Government should
itself spend the money on tercentenary celebrations by
taking all opposition parties including the Congress into
confidence. He also urged the Central Government to
ensure that the public money should not be spent for
"misguiding" the innocent Sikhs for achieving
the "nefarious" designs. Sikhs made supreme
sacrifices for defending the innocent Hindus etc which
should be highlighted during the celebrations. |
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Fog
signal post to caution trains PHILLAUR, Dec 13 — The Railways has set up "fog signal posts" near all railway stations to ensure smooth rail traffic in thick fog. Railway sources said here today that Railway employees will give clearance signals to coming trains by bursting crackers on the Railway line in fog. Meanwhile most of the mail, express and passenger trains were running one to four hours behind schedule due to poor visibility due to thick fog. Vehicle drivers could
drive vehicles in a convoy on low speed with headlights
on in thick fog. |
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killed in road mishap ABOHAR, Dec 13 — Two occupants of a jeep were killed and six others injured when it collided with a tractor-trailer at 9.30 p.m. on Saturday. The accident took place on the Hindumalkot road near here. The jeep was going in the area enveloped by a thick fog to Keri village carrying eight passengers. It collided near Kalia village with the tractor-trailer over loaded with sugarcane. The driver of the jeep Mr Biru Ram (35), resident of Renuka village died on the spot, while Mr Birbal Ram (30) resident of chak-Abohar succumbed to his injuries a few minutes after being admitted to a hospital. The injured passengers were identified as Sugan Lal, Topan Nayak (Renuka), Sohan Lal Nayak (Chak-Abohar), Satish Arora and Raj Kumar (Khatlubana) and Jagdish (Sirsa). The condition of Jagdish was stated to be serious. In another accident Mr
Sahab Singh, son of Mr Gurdial Singh resident of village
Sastewal (Zira), was injured seriously when a private bus
hit the truck (RRC 4674 that he was driving near
Gidderanwali village on the Abohar-Ganganagar road on
Saturday. According to information available at the civil
hospital here, the drivers of two buses belonging to a
private transport company of Abohar were trying to
overtake each other. The truck was carrying iron material
from Rajasthan for delivery at Ludhiana. The bus hit it
with such a force that its front portion was completely
damaged. The bus driver absconded.
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Withdrawal
of sack notices demanded PATIALA, Dec 13 — The Punjabi University Category 'A' Officers (Non-Teaching) Association today criticised the decision of the university to sack ad hoc employees with effect from December 31. In a statement here, association president Ravinder Dhir said such an abrupt action would only vitiate the university atmosphere as the appointment were need-based and there was no reason to do away with them. Mr Dhir while appealing to the university authorities to withdrawn the sack notices, urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene in the matter. The union leader also
reiterated the long-pending demands of the association,
including an increase in the provident fund contribution
from 10 to 12 per cent grant of parity in gratuity both
to pensioners and non-pensioners and depositing of the
GPF arrears on account of revised pay scales |
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Hike
in sales tax on petrol condemned AMRITSAR, Dec 13 — The Punjab Petroleum Dealers Association has condemned the decision of the state government to increase the sales tax on petrol by 3 per cent. Mr J.P. Khanna, president of the association, said that the steep hike in the sale would increase the price of petrol in the state. Mr Khanna said that the dealers in Punjab would loose more as a large number of vehicles would prefer to buy petrol from Chandigarh at a cheaper rate. The difference of rates in the sales tax on petroleum products in the Union Territory of Chandigarh and Punjab had already affected the trade. Mr Khanna felt this move would cripple the trade in the state and dealers of Ropar, Patiala and other areas in the vicinity of Chandigarh would be forced to close down their petrol stations in view of the rate difference which would be about Rs 2.50 to Rs 3.25 per litre. He expressed his anguish
over the delay in clearing the outstanding dues to the
dealers by the Punjab Government. |
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