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SAD demands probe into excise auctions
Prabhjot Singh
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 28
Refused permission again today to seek an adjournment motion on excise auctions in Punjab, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) started its debate on the Budget by demanding a joint inquiry committee of the House to look into what it described as “loot of the state exchequer”.

Initiating the debate, former Finance Minister and General Secretary of SAD, Capt Kanwaljit Singh, said the people of Punjab had every right to know as to who all were responsible for causing a loss of Rs 200 crore to the state exchequer. This can be probed either by the Central Bureau of Investigation or by a joint inquiry team of the legislators.

Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, was not allowed to seek an adjournment on the auctions by the Speaker, Dr Kewal Krishan, holding that motion once rejected cannot be taken up again.

Mr Badal protested saying he was raising a different issue as he wanted the House to debate on as to why Punjab could register an increase of only 1.5 per cent while neighbouring Haryana, also ruled by the Congress, could record 18 per cent growth in revenue from excise auctions.

The Akalis did not leave it at that. When Capt Kanwaljit Singh started speaking, he not only mounted an attack on the State Government for its rapidly rising debt (Rs 32,496 cr in 2001-2002 to Rs 50097.90 cr in 2005-2006), but held that how a State with its coffers empty could allow monopolising of the entire liquor trade with a marginal increase of 1.5 per cent in its revenue.

“If Haryana could register 18 per cent increase, why not Punjab? The state has lost a minimum of Rs 200 cr in the process. People have every right to know where this money has gone,” he said in his hour-long presentation. Quoting editorials from The Tribune, Punjabi Tribune and other regional newspapers, Capt Kanwaljit Singh held that the Budget presented by Mr Surinder Singla was disappointing and directionless as it had taken Congress three years to “reinvent itself”.

Coming down heavily on the budgetary proposals for involving private sector in delivery of basic services, including primary education and health care, Capt Kanwaljit Singh held that the ruling party would not be allowed to run away from its constitutional responsibilities towards the people of Punjab.

“This policy will create a new class of economic exploiters and adversely effect the politics of the State,” he said quipping that “the only remaining decision seems to be, as to when the Congress hands over the Civil Secretariat to the Thekedars?”

Capt Kanwaljit Singh focussed not only on the growing number of unemployed youth but also the rising unrest among government employees, neglect of Dalits and other sections besides growing tax load on an average man.

“In the past few months, the government has levied taxes worth Rs 750 crore besides suggesting many more in the name of user charges,” he said demanding immediate withdrawal of both new taxes and the policy to hand over delivery of basic services to private sector.

Blasting the state on its move for “diversification of agriculture,” he said after spending 12 cr on advertising alone, the area under cultivation of both wheat and paddy had increased. “It is obvious that agriculture crisis in the State will worsen and the farmers will grow poorer.” Apprehending that Punjab would be soon be joining the list of economically backward states, he said that though the government was talking of big plans, it had little or no resources to actually implement those.

Criticising the government for its failure to cut down its flap, he said the state was being burdened with 13 Parliamentary Secretaries. Eight persons had been given the status of Cabinet Minister and 44 Congressmen were made chairmen of various boards and corporations. Besides the state has a big team of law officers. To cap it all, he said, the government was proposing to give its Ministers expensive Toyota Corolla cars.

Others who joined the debate were Mr Sukhjinder Singh and Mr Gurjant Singh besides the Finance Minister, Mr Surinder Singla, and Health Minister, Mr Ramesh Chand Dogra.