Machibet777 LivePunjab: What did Punjab get in a year of AAP?

When he took oath as the Punjab chief minister at freedom fighter Bhagat Singh’s ancestral village, Khatkar Kalan, on March 16 last year, a beaming Bhagwant Mann promised a turnaround story to the border state beset by drug addiction, unemployment, and mounting government debt.The euphoria over Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s landslide victory in the assembly polls was palpable at the swearing-in, but it was short-lived. In three months, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) attack had taken place on Punjab police’s intelligence headquarters in Mohali on May 9, a minister had been sacked over graft charges on May 24, and singer Sidhu Moose Wala murdered on May 29.A year later, in addition to the old problems, the AAP government, which had promised “badlav” (change), is faced by new challenges — growing influence of radical Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh, a possible revival of Khalistan narrative, three unmet poll promises, influx of assault rifles and drugs from Pakistan, graft charges against its leaders, and souring ties with the governor and the central government.Multiple troublesEven the economy continues to be on thin ice. The state’s outstanding debt, according to the Budget presented on March 10, is estimated to rise to Rs 3.47 lakh crore, up from 3.12 lakh crore last fiscal. In 2022-23, the state took loans of Rs 42,922 crore. AAP had hoped to see a jump in revenue from excise and mining. Punjab missed its excise revenue target, but collections rose 45% over last year. The government’s excise policy is criticised for being inspired by the Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s scam-hit excise policy. The Congress continues to dispute AAP’s claims of offering sand at Rs 5.5 per cubic foot at public mines. medium98653505Mann had promised “zero tolerance” against corruption, but two of his ministers have already been shown the door for alleged wrongdoings. Fauja Singh Sarari, the second minister, left the cabinet in January. Though he resigned, it is said he was asked to quit over claims of extortion. Bathinda Rural MLA Amit Rattan Kotfatta too is accused of graft.Promises pendingAAP leadership claims that unlike other parties, it did not wait for poll year to implement promises.Mann announced 300 units of free power in July. This was followed by purchase of moong on minimum support price. With health and education identified as priority areas, 550 Aam Aadmi clinics were launched in the first phase and a ‘schools of eminence’ project announced recently. A campaign was also launched to free panchayat land of encroachments. A key poll promise of AAP— Rs 1,000 for every woman — stays unfulfilled and so does its promised hike in welfare pension schemes. medium98653468Finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema said expectations were unusually high and people wanted all promised schemes to be launched immediately. “The process is on to work out the modalities of pending schemes,” he said.For its second year, AAP has named agriculture, education and health as thrust areas. But, of its total Rs 13,888-crore allocation, Rs 9,064 crore will be spent on free electricity scheme. A clear roadmap for crop diversification, apart from procurement of moong, is awaited. Recently, AAP set a target of reducing farm fires by half in paddy harvesting season of 2022.Even as Punjab is trying to woo new industry, existing businesses are concerned over the state turning into a “protest capital”. In February, protesters seeking release of Sikh prisoners clashed with Chandigarh police on the Mohali border. Those seeking justice for religious sacrilege too are on protest in Behbal Kalan, Faridkot.Another distraction for AAP has been the frequent run-ins between Mann and governor Banwarilal Purohit. The state had to even move the apex court to convene the budget session of the assembly. Punjab’s equation with the Centre too is not all good. The CM has already hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government at Centre for holding back its rural development fund, and not allowing the state’s tableau for the Republic Day parade in Delhi and issuing a now-withdrawn directive to transport coal through the rail-sea-rail (RSR) route.