Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has criticized Capt Amarinder Singh led congress government in Punjab on Saturday for toying with the idea of further over burdening the people of Punjab by levying fresh taxes on them to settle outstanding loans as well as to mop up more revenue for the state exchequer.AAP legislator and state co-president Aman Arora while terming the aforesaid step as reckless, and absolutely anti people said the people of Punjab comprising of all sections of the society that include farmers, traders, professionals, employees, poor and those from the unorganized sector continue struggle hard to make both ends meet due to the steep price rise of the essential commodities.
The business fraternity comprising of shopkeepers and traders have still not been able to come out of the ill effects of the sudden enforcement of the demonetization. On top both the centre and the state governments have yet not been able to give any clarity and calculate the impact of the GST on both the consumers as well as on the service providers, said Arora adding that under such circumstances the Capt Amarinder government was required to immediately put an end to any of such move. Arora said in fact despite lofty announcements by the Capt Amarinder government that loan of the small and marginal farmers would be waived off they unfortunately continue to commit suicides all across Punjab. " Either the Congress government has failed to take the loan waiver message effectively to the farmers or they have little confidence in the Capt Amarinder's promise", he said.
Thinking of levying power sector with more taxe is equally worrisome as Punjab has already been providing electricity to both domestic and to the industrial sectors at the most expensive rate compared to all the neighboring states. Arora said under such circumstances it would be completely foolhardy and thoughtless on the party of Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal to burden the people of Punjab with more taxes. People of Punjab were rather expecting the Capt Amarinder government to provide some financial relief which unfortunately has not yet been thought of. Arora said if Manpreet Badal actually wanted to increase the revenue of the state for the welfare of the people of Punjab he should drastically cut down on the expenditure of the government and immediately introduce austerity measures in the corridors of power.