New Delhi, October 28
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee new president Capt Amarinder Singh has blamed the SAD-BJP regime in the state for the financial mess, saying “there was something wrong with the system… the debt has risen from Rs 48,000 crore to Rs 72,000 crore in three years and is still rising”.

Speaking to mediapersons in the National Capital, Amarinder said, “We are going to put our heads together (for improving the state economy)… we have already started consulting top economists.”

Chiding Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for blaming Manpreet Badal alone, he said he has been the CM four times and he should know the financial position. “Badal has let down the state.”

Amarinder, whose previous tenure (2002-07) was marked with an unprecedented rise in property prices, said an increase in revenue was the only option and policies have to be framed to attract investment. The state was growing at 4-5 per cent while the national growth is 9 per cent, he said.

Batting for subsidies, Amarinder said there have to be subsidies for the poorest of the poor. “We have to see what we can do to help them… a farmer with a few marlas of land can barely survive.”

Maintaining that setting the economy right was his top priority, Captain termed the present debt as “a serious problem”. Besides the Rs 72,000 crore debt, said he, there was another Rs 67,000 crore debt of the public sector undertakings and Rs 19,000 crore of the electricity board. The state government had underwritten the latter two, he held.

At the political level, Amarinder said the Congress in Punjab would move a breach of privilege motion against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal as he had lauded Manpreet Badal when the latter while replying to a question in the last session of the Vidhan Sabha had listed the debt figures and also the talks with the Centre. Badal had given different debt figure after Manpreet was removed.

Amarinder was appointed the PPCC chief two days ago and today at the Punjab Bhawan here it was a meeting with party workers. Several sitting MLAs, MPs, former MLAs and prospective ticket seekers thronged the venue. The PPCC chief was back to Akali bashing, saying “there is goonda raj in the state… the law and order is in a shambles… paddy is not being lifted from mandis and the Akalis do not seem to care”.

To a query as to whom he considered his prime rival in the February 2012 Assembly polls, Amarinder said “whoever was the CM, Badal (Senior) or Sukhbir”. Later, Punjab former Finance Minister Surinder Singla hailed today’s meeting as an event vital to galvanise the party.