Terming the appointments of more than 300 Chairmen/Vice Chairmen of different corporations/boards as ‘’Unconstitutional and Loot” by Akalis at the fag end of their tenure, Aam Aadmi Party Spokesperson and Bhulath Candidate Sukhpal Singh Khaira today said that AAP would make Akalis to ‘cough up’ this ‘looted’ money so that employment could be provided to unemployed youth of Punjab.“At a time when state has a dire need to adopt stern austerity drive, Badals are making wasteful expenditure by appointing an army of those, who are still proud to be Akalis, which will over-burden the already burdened state ex-chequer”, Khaira said adding that people of Punjab were intelligent enough to understand such tactics of Badals and would give a befitting reply to SAD-BJP in the upcoming assembly polls.
Does Punjab need such an “Army” of Chairmen/vice Chairmen of various corporations/boards? What good these appointments contribute in the betterment of Punjab? Will Badals be politically benefitted by committing such ‘wasteful expenditure”? Quips Khaira.“Answers of all these queries will be given to Badals in the assembly polls,” Khaira said adding that Badals have already smelled their humiliating defeat in upcoming polls and it was their last minute attempt to “loot” the state, as much as they can.
AAP leader said once voted to power, AAP would make Badals to cough up entire ‘looted’ money and the same would be spent in welfare schemes and to give employment to unemployed youth of the state.The extent of wasteful expenditure by the Akalis could be gauged from the fact that the new welfare boards have constituted to cater Rai Sikhs, Kambojs, Rajputs, Christians, Muslims, Ramgarhias, Sainis, Dalits, Baazigars, Taprivaas etc, but the welfare of these communities is already within the ambit of the State SC Commission, Punjab State Backward Classes Commission and the Punjab State Commission for Minorities.Among the others boards set up are the Punjab Migrant Labour Welfare Board, Punjabi Culture Coordination Board, Punjab State Youth Welfare Board and Punjab Pensioners Welfare Board.Khaira said that the appointments are taking place almost on a daily basis and part from the chairperson of the board concerned, three or four vice-chairpersons are being appointed and annual bill of such ‘illogical’ appointments would cost the state ex-chequer about Rs 10 crore.The appointments are burning a hole in the exchequer’s pocket. Besides office expenses and employees, each chairperson, senior vice-chairperson and vice-chairperson costs Rs 15-20 lakh annually. The recent appointments will put a burden of at least Rs 10 crore annually on the exchequer.