Centre left Punjab out of drought relief ambit: Punjab CM

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Sunday alleged that the state was "deliberately left out" by the Centre when announcements were being made for relief packages for states facing drought-like situation.

Referring to the relief announced by the Centre for some states like Gujarat, Maharashta and Haryana in view of drought like situation, Badal said "it is unfortunate that Punjab was deliberately left out of its ambit despite the fact that this food bowl of the country was adversely affected due to the deficit rainfall."

Earlier this week, the Centre had announced a relief package to states facing drought-like situation which included Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

This discriminatory attitude of the Union government is a testimony of injustice meted out by the Centre which has caused widespread resentment in the minds of people, Badal told reporters at Meeranpur after inaugurating a college under Punjabi University, Patiala.

However, Badal also said that he had already taken up the matter with the Prime Minister and Union Agricultural Minister seeking a relief of Rs 2,380 crore from the Centre.

He expressed hope that the state would benefit from the scheduled visit of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to the state on August 10 to assess the drought situation.

Badal also held the "poor financial management" of the Union government solely responsible for the "fiscal mess across the nation."

"The officials of the Union government frame the policies for the country while sitting in their plush air conditioned offices, without caring about the needs and ground realities of the country," he said.

Assailing the Union government for "ignoring" the welfare of people by formulating policies without consulting the state governments, the chief minister said the tendency of Centre "to usurp the powers of the state governments was very dangerous as it not only violated the fundamental principles of democracy but also weakened the federal structure of the country".

Advocating for a better deliberation between Union government and the states before formulation of a national level policy, Badal said the Centre must take states into confidence so that good policies for the betterment of people could be drafted and implemented properly.

The chief minister also pleaded devolution of more money from the taxes collected by the Centre from the states, as the states were not getting their share in return from the revenue collected on account of taxes imposed on the states.

The staggering debt on Punjab was also the result of wrong policies of the Centre as despite the fact that the people of state fought against terrorism, no relief was given to it due to which the debt which was spent on deployment of Central forces in Punjab had been mounting manifolds, Badal said.

He said that prior to the period of militancy in Punjab the fiscal health of the state was very good but as Centre rendered no help to the state, its economy dwindled alarmingly during the hey days of terrorism.

Replying to a query, Badal said no extra load of taxes would be put on the people of the state, rather the Punjab government was only trying to rationalise the taxes so as to ensure all round development of the state.

He categorically said there was no difference of opinion between the SAD-BJP alliance leadership regarding the matter.