CHANDIGARH: The Punjab budget has come under fire from Leader of Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa, who dismissed it as a ‘bundle of announcements’ designed solely for publicity. In his Sunday statement, the Congress heavyweight criticized Finance Minister Harpal Cheema’s presentation for overlooking the state’s pressing economic revival needs.
Lamenting the lack of vision, Bajwa noted the budget’s shortcomings in fostering employment, rebooting industries, and strengthening finances. ‘AAP’s mastery lies in grandstanding, but their budgets prove empty on substantive economic strategies,’ he observed.
Bajwa debunked AAP’s ‘all promises fulfilled’ narrative by citing the four-year delay in rolling out Rs 1,000 monthly assistance for women—a flagship 2022 poll pledge. This tardiness, he said, reveals opportunistic politics over genuine administration.
Punjab’s debt trajectory paints a grim picture: up from Rs 2.8 lakh crore to Rs 4.1 lakh crore under AAP. Rather than curbing borrowings or ramping up revenues, the regime indulges in populist giveaways, deepening the crisis, according to Bajwa.
For the youth, the budget is devoid of strategies to lure genuine investments or spawn lasting jobs. Government claims of investment inflows lack evidence of implementation, leaving aspirations unfulfilled.
Bajwa’s pointed remarks highlight the opposition’s push for accountability, urging a shift from declarations to deliverables in Punjab’s governance.