Congress terms it anti-people

“It not only recommends collection of abiana,which was exempted,but also proposes an increase of more than 250 per cent of entry tax on lubricants,” he said. The state president said the most important thing — access to information and media — has been made costlier by making DTH services more expensive than cable network.

The entry tax on generator sets is in bad taste since the government has been unable to provide power to the people,he added. Parminder Singh said,“It is shocking to see the suggestion of increased retirement age. It ignores the interests of the youth.”

Congress MLA Jassi Khangura said mobilising additional resources of Rs 4,000 crore is tantamount to a supplementary budget which can only be sanctioned by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. This government should either defer these proposals to the annual budget,due on a few months’ time or it should call an emergency session of the Vidhan Sabha to discuss the current financial crisis. The withdrawal of the power subsidy amounts to yet another broken manifesto pledge by this government,he added.

“Submitting this report to the cabinet is unconstitutional because the cabinet lacks the legal authority to sanction this unprecedented revenue enhancement,” Khangura said. The MLA said the report needs full public scrutiny and an open debate in the Assembly.

Congress Legislature Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has also taken a strong exception to the proposed burden of Rs 4,000 crore on the people. She lamented that almost all sections of the society,including agriculturist and traders,have been burdened with the recommendations.

She said that farmers were already under debt and levy of abiana for canal irrigation and electricity charge on tubewell motors,will make things difficult for them.