Chandigarh, Oct 05: BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh on Thursday slammed the Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab, accusing it of mismanaging the State’s finances and manipulating data to deceive the public.
Chugh expressed deep concern over the “significant increase in debt” under the AAP government’s tenure, blaming the administration for diverting funds towards false publicity campaigns. He demanded transparency regarding the expenditure of Punjab’s resources on political trips made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to various states, alleging misuse of public funds for AAP’s political activities outside Punjab.
Highlighting the financial crisis, Chugh said, “Punjab’s debt, which stood at Rs 2.82 lakh crore in the 2021-22 fiscal year, surged to Rs 3.12 lakh crore in 2022-23. Shockingly, it is projected to reach an alarming Rs 3.47 lakh crore by the end of the 2023-24 financial year, posing a severe threat to the state’s economy.”
The BJP leader also noted a sharp decline in revenue collection, nearly 50 percent below the figures outlined in the annual budget, underscoring the inefficiency of the Bhagwant Mann government.
He welcomed the Punjab Governor’s initiative to investigate the State’s financial crisis, considering it a necessary step to address the concerning situation.
