CHANDIGARH: Addressing a public meeting in Ludhiana, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that people judge governments by the work done on the ground, but the Punjab Government had done no work, even though four years have passed on.
"The Punjab Government had promised to provide Rs 2,500 per month as financial assistance to senior citizens, but even after four years, this promise has not been fulfilled. In contrast, the double-engine government in Haryana is providing Rs 3,200 per month as ‘Samman Bhatta’ to senior citizens,’’ Saini said.
He said the Aam Aadmi Party and Congress had promised financial assistance to women in several states. "In Punjab too, a promise was made to provide Rs 1,100 per month to women, but even after four years in power, not a single rupee has been given to any woman. On the other hand, the Haryana Government fulfilled its Sankalp Patra promise by implementing the Lado Laxmi Yojana and is providing Rs 2,100 to women," he said.
Commenting on the resolution passed by the Aam Aadmi Party government in the Punjab Assembly on December 30 against the VB G Ram G Act, the Chief Minister Saini said it was surprising as the resolution contained no data, no facts, and no suggestions for improvement.
He said the Punjab government is opposing the Act brought by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the Punjab Government should first explain what steps it has taken for the welfare of labourers in the state.
He said that during social audits under the MGNREGA scheme in Punjab, thousands of cases of financial embezzlement have come to light in thousands of gram panchayats.
"However, neither action has been taken against the guilty nor have labourers been compensated," he said.
When Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan visited Punjab, labourers complained that they were not receiving their rightful dues under MGNREGA and that contractors were siphoning off the funds.
According to a social audit conducted in only 5,915 out of 13,304 gram panchayats, around 10,663 cases of financial embezzlement were found, yet no action was taken.
Even after the Central team highlighted the issue, no recovery was made.
"No action was taken against those responsible for corruption, and public funds meant for wages were filled into the pockets of those who had not earned them,’’ he said.
He added that Haryana is providing the highest daily wage of Rs 400 to labourers in the country.
Saini also said the model presented by Haryana can become the foundation of good governance across the country.
"Therefore, in the coming time, the people of Punjab should show the way out of power to those who seek votes by telling lies," he said.
He added that whether it was the earlier Congress government or the present Aam Aadmi Party government, both failed to fulfil the promises made to the people of Punjab.
In contrast, the double-engine government in Haryana made 217 promises during the Assembly elections and fulfilled 54 of them within just one year.
Taking a jibe at those indulging in the politics of lies, Saini said that Punjab Chief Minister Mann claims that the Punjab Government will provide compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop damage, whereas Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal goes to Gujarat and claims that their government has provided compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre to farmers.
He said this is a government of lies, which is not working in the interest of the people.
He said that in Haryana, the state government has transferred Rs 1,400 crore directly into farmers’ accounts under the Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana.
"In addition, over the past 11 years, Rs 15,500 crore has been provided to farmers as compensation for crop damage," he said.
He challenged Punjab Chief Minister Mann and Congress leaders to state how much compensation they provided to farmers during their tenures.