Opposition Parties Launch Scathing Attack on Punjab Budget
In a sharp rebuke, opposition parties in Punjab have vehemently criticized the state budget presented by the Bhagwant Mann-led government. The Punjab BJP has labeled it a "major betrayal" of women, while the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has termed it "nothing but a pack of lies." The criticism centers on unmet electoral promises and alleged misrepresentation of funds.
BJP Accuses Government of Deceiving Women and Farmers
Punjab BJP working president Ashwani Sharma issued a written statement, asserting that if the government were truly sensitive towards women, it should have provided a lump sum of Rs 48,000 for the past four years, calculated at Rs 1,000 per month. He highlighted that the government has allocated only Rs 9,300 crore against an estimated requirement of about Rs 15,000 crore for this scheme.
Sharma further accused the government of deceiving farmers, noting that despite electoral promises, Minimum Support Price (MSP) is not provided for all 24 crops and has not been made a legal guarantee. He alleged that the state government is presenting funds from central government schemes as its own, particularly in areas like road projects, housing for the poor, and school facilities such as new classrooms and computers.
Additionally, Sharma stated that the budget ignored health services and the interests of employees, leading to widespread disappointment among the people.
SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal Denounces Budget as Fraudulent
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal posted on social media, calling the Punjab Budget 2026-27 "nothing but a pack of lies!" He claimed that the budget betrayed farmers, youth, poor, trade and industry, government employees, and even women on International Women's Day.
Badal emphasized that youth received nothing from this government, with the Rs 3,000 per month unemployment allowance remaining a pipe dream. He noted that no money was allocated for implementing the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for employees or providing incentives to trade and industry.
He accused Finance Minister Harpal Cheema of lying about speedy compensation for farmers, stating that they still wait for it seven months after devastating floods hit the state. Badal also criticized the allocation of Rs 15 crore for crop diversification as a "cruel joke" on farmers.
In a further allegation, Badal pointed out that while Rs 1,220 crore was allocated for the medical education and research department, no money was set aside for the seven new medical colleges proposed by the finance minister.
Badal described the Rangla Punjab Vikas Scheme as a fraud, alleging it transfers Rs 1,170 crore to AAP MLAs for their constituencies, which he called "sheer loot of the state exchequer." He also stated that the Rs 2,000 crore allocated for the Rs 10 lakh health insurance scheme is a gimmick, as more than Rs 10,000 crore is needed to fund it for a population above 3 crore.
Regarding women's issues, Badal added that the AAP government defrauded women on International Women's Day by not providing a single rupee out of the Rs 48,000 due to each of them as part of the promised Rs 1,000 per month allowance. He noted that the scheme is truncated, many sections are excluded, and only Rs 9,300 crore is earmarked when the outlay should be more than Rs 60,000 crore.
Budget Controversy Highlights Deep Political Divides
The opposition's fierce criticism underscores the deep political divides in Punjab, with both BJP and SAD leveraging the budget to highlight perceived failures of the AAP government. The allegations range from financial mismanagement to broken promises, setting the stage for continued political confrontation in the state.
