Modify formula for devolution of taxes: Akali Dal to 16th Finance Commission
Chandigarh, July 22
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today appealed to the 16th Finance Commission to modify the formula adopted for devolution of taxes to the state, besides allocating funds to facilitate diversification, instituting a debt waiver scheme for farmers, fixing a regular grant for compensating border farmers, tax concessions for promoting industry, release of dues of Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Sarv Sikhya Abhiyan, etc.
It also called for correcting the alleged historical wrongs done to the state while citing the inter-state conference of 1955 on development and utilisation of Ravi-Beas waters under which 8 MAF water was given to the non-riparian state of Rajasthan. It said the conference had decided that the cost of water would be taken up separately, but that had not been decided even after 69 years.
It urged the commission to recommend to the Centre to pay Punjab its dues. The party also called for the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab besides the payment of compensation due to Haryana’s failure to vacate the capital within 10 years of the reorganisation of the state.
Participating in a meeting with the 16th Finance Commission, senior SAD leaders Maheshinder Singh Grewal and Dr Daljit Singh Cheema said public debt in Punjab had reached an alarming figure of Rs 3.43 lakh crore and that the debt-to-GSDP ratio of 49 per cent left negligible funds for capital expenditure.
