Jalandhar, December 29: Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira while releasing RTI information pertaining to renovation of Minister houses, condemned the “penny wise pound foolish” approach of the Capt. Amarinder Sigh government. He said while the government was unable to honour its social welfare schemes like the old age pension, shagun scheme, Atta-Dal scheme and is unable to pay salaries and pensions to its employees, it is wasting public exchequer money to renovate the houses of Ministers and the MLA flats that are already well furnished.
He said as per RTI information received the Advocate General has spent more than Rs.1 crore to create a camp office and renovate his official house. Khaira wondered why the Advocate General has created a camp office when he already has a huge complex at the High Court barely couple of kilometres away from his home, it is pure waste of public money for personal whims and fancies. Chief Minister has spent approx Rs. 50 lac for his house and tainted Minister Rana Gurjeet spent more than Rs. 35 lac. Similarly, the Finance Minister who is supposed to be custodian of public exchequer has also gone in for major renovation amounting to Rs. 25 lac. So is the case of other Ministers who too are bent upon wasting people’s money.
Khaira said that the Punjab government is closing down state owned thermal power plants with the argument that Punjab will save money, similarly the government is planning to close down 800 government schools again to save money but unfortunately when it comes to the luxury of Ministers and the Chief Minister then the said argument does not apply.
LoP Khaira stated that the government should realise that it is under a colossal debt of Rs. 2.5 lac crore, therefore spending money on such non productive ventures only shows the utter callous and non serious attitude of the Capt. Amarinder Singh government. Khaira said the government should have spent the said crores of rupees to strengthen schools or government run hospitals instead of spending money for their homes and camp offices.
Khaira advised the government to set its priorities right to first work for public interest rather than for self.