Giving freebies tall order for next govt: Ex-FM Parminder Singh Dhindsa

Amritsar, August 29

Former Finance Minister and senior SAD (Sanyukt) leader Parminder Singh Dhindsa has asserted no political party could extend freebies after coming to power in the state keeping in view its dismal financial condition.

Don’t be misled

The voter should not fall prey to freebies as the next government will have to take stern steps to correct economy. Even continuing existing subsidies will be a big ask. — Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Ex-FM

He stated this in response to queries over the AAP, SAD and BJP promising the electorate power sops in the state once coming to power.

Addressing mediapersons here today, he said the Capt Amarinder Singh government had resorted to heavy borrowing over the past two years and the debt had reached four to five per cent of the GDP, which was “unserviceable”. “To service debt will be a gigantic task as the current financial condition was grim and I do not see any way out,” he remarked.

The next year’s financial condition will further aggravate with the discontinuation of the GST compensation. “It means the GST revenue will fall by nearly 40 per cent,” he said. On the AAP offering power at surprisingly low rates, he said there was no comparison between Delhi and Punjab. “Unlike Punjab, Delhi is free from debt, it does not offer subsidy like Punjab is extending to farmers and many of its departments are being taken care of by the Union Government.”

On faulty power agreements reached by the erstwhile SAD government in which he was a Cabinet minister, Dhindsa said he could not be blamed as he was a PWD minister and those agreements were signed by the knowledge of CM’s Office and the then Power minister.

On his party colleague Sewa Singh Sekhwan joining the AAP, he said it was a surprise move. — TNS