DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa on Monday lashed out at the Punjab Finance Minister, Harpal Singh Cheema for handling Punjab's economy so poorly as it has reached the verge of collapse.

Senior Congress Leader Bajwa said that the Finance Ministry of Punjab under Harpal Singh Cheema should be renamed as the Ministry of Debt Raising. Ever since the Aam Aadmi Party formed the government in Punjab and Harpal Singh Cheema got the finance portfolio, the debt burden on the state has been going up dramatically.

"Before the AAP got hold of power, the outstanding debt in Punjab was Rs 2.82 lakh crore?at the end of the financial year 2021-22. Meanwhile, by the end of this fiscal year (2024-25), the outstanding debt is likely to touch an alarming Rs 3.74 lakh crore", Bajwa added. ?

Qadian Legislature Bajwa said that under the Finance Ministry of Cheema, the Punjab government does not even have funds to pay the salaries and pensions of the Punjab government employees on time. Several Employees held protest demonstrations lately to get their monthly salaries.

"In March around 20 people died by consuming spurious liquor in Sangrur. Harpal Singh Cheema, who also holds the excise portfolio has not yet explained how exactly that tragedy happened. Is he trying to save the actual culprits?", Bajwa added.

The opposition leader said that the AAP government replicated Delhi's liquor policy in Punjab. Delhi's liquor policy has already been probed. Therefore, a judicial probe into Punjab's liquor policy should be conducted.
(editor@dailyworld.in)