Amarinder raps Punjab govt for excessive borrowing

Chandigarh, Dec15 : Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh today criticised the Akali-BJP government for its ''wanton borrowings'' without bothering about the fiscal health of the state.

He said despite the heavy debt on the state, the government was still borrowing money from various financial institutions and had only recently decided to borrow Rs 1,850 crore more.

The PCC president also sought a clarification from Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the incentives being provided to the promoters of the Bathinda oil refinery.

In a statement issued here, Capt Amarinder Singh said the state government had recently decided to borrow Rs 1,850 crore from various banks. This would put an additional burden on an already accumulating debt which had crossed Rs 70,000 crore.

Giving the break-up of the latest loan he said, while Rs 1,100 crore were being sought for the department of local bodies, Rs 400 crores were being taken for the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority, Rs 200 crore for Ludhiana Municipal Corporation and Rs 150 crore for Bathinda Municipal Corporation.

Capt Amarinder Singh also pointed out that the state government had already exhausted the rural development fund for the next two years. ''They are literally emptying the coffers of the state. It is now more than confirmed that they are reconciled to the fact that they are not going to be there after the next elections and are wantonly pushing the state to the brink of bankruptcy,'' he said.

The PCC President said the Akali-BJP alliance seemed to be hell bent on leaving empty coffers for the next government.

''Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal is mortgaging the future interests of the state by this wanton borrowing,'' he remarked.

He expressed surprise over the silence of the state government, particularly the Chief Minister, on the issue of undue incentives being given to the Bathinda refinery.

''The silence of the Chief Minister on such an important issue is not only intriguing, but self speaking as well,'' he said and noted that so far no statement had come from the government.

He demanded that the Chief Minister must make a statement on the issue and clarify the stand of his government.

--UNI