Punjab Government Will Present A Balanced Budget In Line With The Expectations Of The People : Harpal Singh Cheema

S.A.S. Nagar : “This is happening for the first time in the history of Punjab when an elected government is going to the people before presenting the general budget and asking them for their suggestions regarding the budget. The Aam Aadmi Party government will present a comprehensive budget in line with the expectations of the people which will provide balanced budgetary allocations for the holistic development of industry, education, health and rural development as well as other sectors.”

It was disclosed by S. Harpal Singh Cheema Finance, Planning, Programme Implementation, Excise and Taxation and Copration Minister, Punjab while addressing a meeting held at district administrative complex SAS Nagar to solicit suggestions from industrialists, traders and education experts for the public budget 2022-23.Mr. Cheema said that the Chief Minister Mr. Bhagwant Singh Mann had promised the people that the budget of Punjab would be presented as per their wishes and expectations.

He said that in this regard he has visited various parts of Punjab and collected suggestions from the industrialists and traders.Mr. Cheema said that previous governments did not formulate any concrete policy for the development of Punjab due to their narrow political and personal interests due to which Punjab was constantly ruined and millions of crores of debt fell on Punjabis.He said that before 1987, Punjab had a surplus budget but due to the misguided ,anti people policies of the governments since 1992, Punjab went into huge debt.

He said that presently the government has a debt of over Rs. 3 lakh crore.The situation has become such that now the Punjab government has to take a loan to repay the loan. He said that due to the genocidal policies of previous governments punjab’s industry was ruined and it had migrated to other neighboring states. The youth of Punjab is suffering from unemployment and is fleeing abroad in search of employment.

The Finance Minister said that these challenges are looming large before the Aam Admi Party government in punjab and the government led by CM S. Bhagwant Singh Mann is working tirelessly to bail out punjab from this grave crisis and make it again a colorful Punjab.He said that Punjab government had taken historic decisions in the first 55 days of its tenure whereas previous governments would only served their personal interests and would not take any concrete decision for the welfare of the people even after the first four and half years of their coming into power.

Describing the industries as the backbone for the development, growth and employment of the state, the Finance Minister said that the general budget would be presented in accordance with the public opinion after giving due consideration to the suggestions made by the industrialists. He said that the Punjab government had also launched a portal for soliciting suggestions from the people on which lakhs of people have submitted their budget suggestions.

The Finance Minister said that a blueprint has been prepared by his department after studying these suggestions and a meeting is to be held with Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann today in this regard.During the meeting Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Mohali S. Mr. Kulwant Singh, MLA from Dera Bassi Mr. Kuljit Singh Randhawa and MLA from Kharar constituency Madam Anmol Gagan Mann also gave their suggestions on public budget.

Mr. Vaneet Verma President Punjab Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Anurag Agarwal President Mohali Industries Association, Mr. JS Majha President CREDAI, Mr. Vikas Mahajan Hotel and Restaurant Association, Dr. B.S. Ghumman Former Vice Chancellor Punjabi University Patiala, Dr. RS Bawa Vice Chancellor Chandigarh University Gharuan, Dr. Debulal Saha Assistant Professor IISER addressed the gathering and gave their suggestions on Punjab Government’s Public Budget 2022-23.

Among others who were present on the occasion included Mr. Amit Talwar Deputy Commissioner, Mrs. Amaninder Kaur Brar Additional Deputy Commissioner (G), Mr. Pooja S. Grewal Additional Deputy Commissioner (UD), Mr. Harbans Singh SDM Mohali, Mr. Abhikesh Gupta SDM Kharar and other police and administrative officers of the district.