Chandigarh, September 24, 2023: As per media reports, After the letter of Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit regarding 50k loan taken by Punjab, the Punjab Congress has sought a special audit of the Rs 50,000 crore loan taken by the government.
According to the news published in The Tribune, in a letter to the Governor, Leader of the Opposition Partap Bajwa said the utilisation of a significant loan amounting to Rs 50,000 crore that the Mann-led AAP government had taken, resulting in an alarming increase in the debt-GSDP ratio to 47.6 per cent, was a matter of concern to the people of Punjab.
Leading up to the elections, almost all AAP leaders, including party supremo Arvind Kejriwal, made extensive promises to the people of Punjab. These promises included pledges to work with unwavering honesty, saving Rs 54,000 crore through prudent measures such as generating Rs 20,000 crore from mining revenue and plugging Rs 34,000 crore in budgetary leakages attributed to corruption in the execution of various schemes, claimed Bajwa.
The Leader of Opposition said in just 18 months, the AAP-led government has borrowed a staggering Rs 50,000 crore. Additionally, they have appealed for the Governor’s intervention to release Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues amounting to Rs 5,637 crore, citing hindrance to developmental projects due to the non-release of funds by the Union Government.
“Additionally, the World Bank approved a $150 million loan to Punjab in September 2022 to enhance financial management and public service accessibility. The people of Punjab deserve clarity on how these funds were utilised”, Bajwa said.
