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Punjab, once known as a golden land of prosperity, famous for its rich heritage and culture, is now crying for a new life. The state is beleaguered by crisis, all around, be it economic, industrial or agricultural. Once one of India’s most prosperous states, it has become a laggard state today.
As the present AAP government has failed on all fronts we see that social unrest has plagued the state in an alarming manner. The people of Punjab aspire for better living standards, including better healthcare, education, employment, infrastructure, and law and order.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Punjab, with CM Bhagwant Mann, has failed in performance since assuming office in March 2022. From day one, the CM has let down the expectations of the people of Punjab. The disrespect shown by removing the photo of Sher-e-Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh from the CMO has deeply hurt the sentiments of Punjabis. Maharaja Ranjit Singh is a great symbol of Punjab’s pride, valor, and courage. This act of CM is still etched in the minds of Punjabis.
Despite being in power for two and a half years and completing half the term, the AAP government has failed to maintain basic infrastructure, provide civic amenities to citizens, and tackle pressing issues such as drug abuse and unemployment.
The administration has failed to deliver on many of its key promises, leading to insecurity among people. One of the most pressing issues is the instability within the government itself, with four cabinet reshuffles in two and a half years, highlighting a lack of well-structured plan and direction. These frequent reshuffles have not converted into better governance or service delivery, a clear sign of deeper systemic issues within the administration. Frequent reshuffles speak of instability of the government and governance and lack of confidence within AAP leadership.
Despite being in power for two and a half years and completing half the term, the AAP government has failed to maintain basic infrastructure, provide civic amenities to citizens, and tackle pressing issues such as drug abuse and unemployment.
Financial mismanagement has emerged as a major critical concern during this tenure. Punjab is grappling with a staggering debt of Rs. 3.51 lakh crore, and the government’s borrowing spree has only worsened the situation, the AAP government is reaching out to the central government for an additional borrowing limit of Rs 10,000 crore to meet its expenses over and above the sanctioned borrowing limit of Rs 30,464.92 crore. This financial strain has led to delays in salary and pension disbursements for state employees, raising questions about the government’s fiscal responsibility. There is a lack of transparency and accountability in financial dealings. The AAP government lacks financial discipline; this is evident by the way the government is handling debt and borrowing. The state is getting into a vicious loop by taking on new debt while still paying down part of its existing debt to pay for capital expenditures and debt payments. This leaves us with many unanswered questions. How does the state plan to manage its debt and what specific measures have been taken to reduce it since the CM assumed the office? With the current debt repayment obligations standing at Rs 69,867 crore for this fiscal year, how does the government justify seeking additional borrowing? The government needs to provide a detailed plan on how it intends to curb unnecessary spending and improve financial discipline. The AAP government needs to come out with answers to many such questions, and we demand a White Paper on the financial handling. This is nothing but a clear failure of AAP’s government’s policies, and the situation demands an urgent need for reforms. The AAP government has pushed Punjab into bankruptcy, and its rising outstanding debts year by year have caused great financial concern.
The government’s promise to rejuvenate the mining sector and generate substantial revenue has also fallen flat, instead of the projected Rs. 20,000 crore during the 2022 assembly elections, actual revenue from mining activities has barely reached Rs. 300 crore annually. On top of this, there has been rampant illegal mining across Punjab under the AAP government rule, which speaks of the government being hand in glove with the mining mafia. Having appointed the fourth mining minister in two and a half years of their term points out the AAP government’s failure to manage critical sectors like mining.
The infrastructure development and basic civic amenities have not kept pace with growing demands from people across urban and rural Punjab. There is widespread dissatisfaction regarding inadequate public services and facilities. The government has failed to address these issues effectively.
Unemployment remains another critical challenge for the AAP government. Although it claims to have created jobs across various state departments, unemployment is still a major concern. Following this is a migration issue. What is the root cause of migration? Is it the lack of a better education system or lack of Job opportunities, or is it the drug menace that has gripped Punjab? The AAP Government does not seem to be finding solutions for these.
The issue of drug abuse and drug trafficking continues to plague Punjab, with the state being labelled as one of the epicenters of drug abuse in India. Drug addiction has devastated many young lives across all social classes in both urban and rural areas. Despite Chief Minister Mann’s commitment to making Punjab drug-free by the next Independence Day, drug-related deaths have surged since AAP came into power, and there are a large number of fatalities recorded. The establishment of de-addiction centers and government Outpatient Opioid Assisted Treatment (OOAT) clinics has not yielded significant results. The rural healthcare system is plagued by insufficient infrastructure, persistent shortages of medicines, and understaffing.
The law-and-order situation in Punjab has completely collapsed. Gangsters make ransom calls from the jail, and there exists large-scale corruption among jail authorities. There is a serious sense of fear and panic among the people in the State. The Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab has failed to curtail ransoms, lootings, and killings. Day by day, there is an increased number of such reported incidents.
In terms of performance and governance, the AAP government has lost its credibility to effectively run the Chief Minister’s office. As of today, scams and failures in various government departments are being exposed almost daily. The AAP government, under Bhagwant Mann as Chief Minister of Punjab, has failed miserably.
There is an urgent need for the revival of governance in Punjab. The AAP government must bring reforms to address these multifaceted challenges. The need for stable leadership in Punjab can only be fulfilled by a double-engine government, with the BJP holding the mantle of power in Punjab.
Today, the AAP government in Punjab has become infamous for its financial mismanagement. The government has driven Punjab into a financial mess by increasing VAT on diesel, petrol, and bus fares and, at the same time, creating a debt trap for the state. Failure to clear bills for hospitals preventing free healthcare for the poor under the Ayushman Bharat Health Scheme, recent mishandling of English teacher promotions, failure to regularise teachers, a shortage of medical officers in the government hospitals, rollback of power subsidies, and failure to fill vacant posts in various government departments have all contributed to the state’s failures. The presence of gangsters running the state and failure to make Punjab drug-free as promised in their manifesto reflects poor governance and a deteriorating law and order situation. The AAP government has failed to fulfill its promises to the people of Punjab and betrayed the mandate given to them.
The history of the Aam Aadmi Party has been full of hypocrisy in matters related to corruption. Since its inception, Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party have made massive claims about removing corruption; however, reports of sand mafia, excise scams, and other financial irregularities suggest otherwise. The AAP came to power through false promises, and their manifesto remains an empty promise. Today, corruption is at its peak in Punjab. The corruption king, Arvind Kejriwal, might be out on bail from jail, but the legacy seems to be continued by AAP leaders, whether in Delhi or Punjab.
These are just a few of the burning issues that have created a sense of insecurity and fear in the minds of the people of Punjab. It is time for the Punjab CM to step down for his failure in running the state and to provide relief to the people. Punjab needs a capable leader, and the administration requires complete rehabilitation, with the BJP being the only party capable of providing stable and good governance for a prosperous Punjab.
(The writer is BJP National General Secretary)