BADAL bats for revision of formula for devolution of taxes

Ludhiana, August 4, 2013: Batting for the revision of formula regarding devolution of taxes to states, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that more funds should be placed at the disposal of states, for ensuring balanced growth of the country.    

Talking to the media persons after administering oath to newly elected Sarpanchs and Panchs of Ludhiana district here today, the Chief Minister said that it was the need of the hour to revise the formula for devolution of Central funds because the states needed more funds for their primary developmental needs. He said that the states should be given more share in taxes collected from them adding that the allocation of funds to the states should be made growth dependent, so as to encourage the states to perform better.

Laying stress on the need for strengthening federalism by increasing devolution of Central funds, he said that if more funds were placed at the disposal of the states an era of unparalleled development could be ushered in them. The Chief Minister categorically said that by giving the central funds the Union government was not doling out anything special to the states rather it was duty bound to reimburse their share from the revenue collected in form of various taxes from them.

Replying to a query the Chief Minister said that understanding well the needs of country the framers of the Indian constitution had envisaged true federal system for the nation. However he said that unfortunately by adopting the policy of excessive centralization of powers, the successive Congress governments at the centre have turned it into a unitary form of government, which has resulted in the lopsided development of the many areas that was not in the interest of the country. He said that the only solution for removing this regional disparity was to implement the true federal structure in the country thereby giving more powers to the state for ensuring the well being of the people.

The Chief Minister said further that it was a known fact that the state governments were well connected with the people at the grass root level due to which they were more aware of their needs. But he bemoaned that today due to the Unitary form of government the states were virtually at the mercy of the Union government to carry on the development works. We have to seek permission from the centre for even constructing a small stretch of road, which was totally wrong, he added.

The Chief Minister also said that the Congress led UPA government has ruined the industry of state by giving incentives to the neighbouring states. He said that due to the wrong policies of the Union government the industry in the state had been adversely effected adding that despite of the fact that the state government has raised this issue a number of times, the Centre has never bothered to lend a helping hand to industry of the state, which resulted its mass exodus from the state to the neighbouring states like Himachal, Uttarakhand and J&K.

The Chief Minister further said that Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was committed for safeguarding the interests of Punjabi farmers in Gujarat adding that while he would himself meet the national BJP President Rajnath Singh over the issue, a delegation of SAD under Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal would take up this matter with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi separately besides seeking legal opinion to pursue this case in Supreme Court.

Earlier addressing the mammoth gathering at the function, the Chief Minister said that the farmers of the state were on the crossroads due to the wrong policies of the Union Government. He said that the constant hike in input costs of agriculture by the Centre coupled with the decreasing margin of profits has broken the backbone of the Punjabi farmers. Squarely blaming the Union government for pangs of the farmers, Badal said that today Punjab’s farmers were reeling under a huge debt of Rs 30,000 crore due to the wrong policies of centre.

The Chief Minister said that it was the high time for farmers to adopt crop diversification for preventing the further depletion of precious resources of state on one hand and for supplementing their income on the other. He said that with the Union government drawing its foot back from purchasing the paddy, it was the need of the hour that Punjab farmers should adopt crop diversification due to which the state government was making stupendous efforts for encouraging the agriculturists to grow alternate crops like Maize, Basmati, Cotton and others.

The Chief Minister pointed out that unprecedented development has taken place during the SAD-BJP government in the state which would get further impetus in the coming days. He said that while Rs 1700 crore would be spent on upgrading and strengthening of rural road network, an ambitious project to supply potable drinking water to every village of the state has also been embarked. Likewise he said that all the villages of the state would be soon provided basic civic amenities on urban pattern.

The Chief Minister further said that despite of being a border state, Punjab has emerged an epitome of peace and communal harmony in the country. He said that the state government has made all out efforts to ensure peaceful conduction of Panchayat polls in the state whereas many other states in the country have witnessed unprecedented violence during these polls.    

Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Cabinet Ministers Surjit Singh Rakhra and Sharanjeet Singh Dhillon, Advisor to Chief Minister Maheshinder Singh Grewal, MLAs Balwinder Singh Bains and Manpreet Singh Ayali, Chairman of Punjab State Subordinate Services Board Jathedar Santa Singh Umedpuri, former Ministers Jathedar Hira Singh Gabria and Jagdish Singh Garcha, former MP GS Galib, K.J.S. Cheema Special Principal Secretary, CM and District BJP President Praveen Bansal.

Punjab CM, Parkash Singh Badal being given siropa at the function (top), gathering (bottom).

City Air News photos: Mandeep Kumar Verma/Ludhiana.