Punjab's budget to boost state's economy: FM

Punjab Finance Minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa today termed the Budget presented for 2016-17 as step towards boosting state's economy which would elevate and strengthen every sphere of Punjab.
Winding up the Budget debate in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha amidst boycott by opposition Congress, the Minister said that there was not an iota of truth in the aspersions raised by the opposition parties that the budget presented by the government was away from reality.
He said that the state's massive overall development would speak volumes of this budget.
Dhindsa said that to compensate the state's peasantry, the state government has already released an amount of Rs 800 crore as damages towards the spoiled crops due to heavy rains which includes Rs 112 crore for February, March and April 2015, Rs 670 crore for the damaged cotton crop and Rs 54 crore for the crops damaged due to heavy monsoon rains and hail storms.

Terming the budget estimates presented in the Punjab Legislative Assembly on March 15 as "progressive, futuristic and for every section of the society", he said that the Punjab budget 2016-17 was aimed at bringing all round development in the state.
He said that the 4.92 per cent growth rate of the last year was expected to touch 5.96 per cent during the year 2016-17.

Referring the various development and welfare schemes in the state, he said that when the SAD-BJP alliance government came to power in 2007, the GDP was Rs 1, 27,123 crore and during the last year it was Rs 4,8,815 crore and now it is expected to touch Rs 4,54,815 crore during the current financial year.

He said that the 1.65 lakh tubewell connections would be provided to various categories of applicants to whom demand notices have been issued.
"Similarly tubwell connections on priority would be given to all those farmers with a land holding below 2.5 acre," he said.
He also said that a major relief was given to 11 lakh farmers who have been covered under Bhagat Puran Singh Health Insurance Scheme.
The setting up of Kisan Vikas Chamber in Mohali was another big initiative of the government which would bridge the gap between the farmers and the policy makers and to redress their problems instantaneously, he said.

The Finance Minister specifically mentioned the allocation of Rs 7,490 crore during the year 2016-17 for the Agriculture and allied farming and Rs 150 crore under skill development Mission.
He said that anti-Punjab forces were painting the state negatively on fiscal front.
He said that the government is not selling its properties to pay salaries rather employees are getting these on time.
He said that a Rs 10 crore scheme had been prepared for farmers who are facing problems from wild animals to proetect their fields.
Ridiculing the allegations of Amarinder that the Akalis
are "offering poll eve doles", Dhindsa said, "the allegation is preposterous and that too from a person who had been offering huge doles like waiving farm loans of all farmers of the state and getting forms fulfilled for such waiver".

Also, Amarinder had been floating another registration fraud by enrolling unemployed youth saying that at least one person from one family would get job or employment allowance, he said.
"How Amarinder is dishing out huge doles without any authority - even prior to elections in which his party has not even remote prospect of coming to power", said Dhindsa.
"Ironically, Amarinder first opposed tooth and nail the SAD-BJP move to pass some ordinances and now when the government decided to hold one day session to pass legislations, he is again up in arms which is totally absurd and unbecoming of a leader of the stature of former chief minister," he said.