DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Drawing a contrast with the previous Congress and Akali-BJP governments in Punjab, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday highlighted the AAP government's achievements in the assembly. Taking part in the discussion on the Governor's address during the budget session, Cheema said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government fulfilled its key promise of providing free electricity to the people of Punjab.

This promise was fulfilled within three months of the government's formation, with 90 per cent of domestic electricity consumers now receiving zero electricity bills, he said in the House.

The finance minister also highlighted the government's decision to acquire a private thermal plant at Goindwal Sahib for Rs 1,080 crore as against project cost worth Rs 6,000 crore.

Taking a dig at the previous governments led by Congress, Cheema criticized Congress party's walk out during the session, attributing it to their "inability" to confront the current government's success in clearing the Rs 9,000 crore subsidy arrears left by the previous government.

Referring to AAP's promise to bring a health revolution in the state, Cheema highlighted the transformative impact of 'Aam Aadmi Clinics', which have provided free treatment, tests, and medicines to countless citizens, contrasting this with the Congress-led government's "failure" to recruit adequately for healthcare positions.

He said during the Congress-led government, an advertisement for 547 posts was issued but only 43 people were recruited.

The minister said that the current government not only recruited specialist doctors but the government hospitals are also being transformed. In the education sector, Cheema said a 57 per cent increase in budget by the AAP-led Punjab government.

He lauded initiatives such as the School of Eminence and international teacher training programmes. Cheema also underscored the government's "success" in attracting over Rs 90,000 crore in investments, attributing this to the state's improved law and order under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's leadership.

He credited the Anti-Gangster Task Force for dismantling gangster culture, which he said had flourished under the Congress regime.

"Congress party gave birth to gangster culture in the state", Cheema alleged.

On the issue of drug eradication, Cheema detailed the government's "Yudh Nashian Virudh" campaign, which has led to 2,200 FIRs, 3,800 arrests, and the demolition of 43 illegally constructed properties of drug dealers, so far.

He said that for the first time during the Akali-BJP government, the people of the state heard the name of 'Chitta' (synthetic drugs).

"After this, (former chief minister) Amarinder Singh took an oath to end drugs by holding 'Gutka Sahib' exactly 35 km from Talwandi Sabo, but later during the Congress regime, this drug business flourished

further," he alleged.

(editor@dailyworld.in)