Opposition targets Punjab govt over 'rising' power tariff, unemployment

The Opposition on Tuesday targeted the Congress government in the Punjab Assembly over "rising" power tariff and unemployment, calling the governor's address a "pack of lies" and "far from reality".

Legislator and leader of the Akali Dal's legislative wing Sharanjit Singh Dhillon claimed that the power consumers in the state have been burdened with high electricity bills.

"During our regime, the power was being supplied at Rs 5 per unit to people, but now they are being charged Rs 10-11 per unit," he alleged.

Attacking the Congress dispensation over the issue of unemployment, Dhillon said the 'Ghar Ghar Rozgar Yojana' of the state government has "completely failed".

"They shut down 1,500 sewa kendras causing loss of 6,000 jobs," he said while lashing out at the Congress government for allegedly not filling the posts of lecturers in the colleges.

He further accused the state government of not paying the arrears and dearness allowance to its employees.

Participating in a discussion on Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore's address last month during a one-day special session, Dhillon said, "The governor's address was completely a pack of lies."

Echoing a similar sentiment, BJP MLA Arun Narang dubbed the governor's address as "far from reality".

AAP MLA Baljinder Kaur claimed that all sand, transport and land mafias were still operating in the state.

"There has been no development activity in the last three years," she said.

Another AAP MLA Meet Hayer alleged that people who had passed teacher eligibility test (TET) and elementary teachers test (ETT) were still jobless.

"Thirty thousand posts of teachers in schools were still vacant," he claimed.

State Parliamentary Minister Brahm Mohindra urged the assembly speaker to reprimand those MLAs who do not take up the issues mentioned in their calling attention notices.

"Some legislators, who have given calling attention notices on public interest issues, remain absent despite being in the House. They waste efforts and time of the departments concerned in preparing the replies. They should be reprimanded," Mohindra said while pointing to some members of the Opposition who stormed the Well of the House.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Assembly has passed a resolution, recommending the state government to urge the Centre to ensure continuation of reservation for Scheduled Caste in promotions and appointments.

Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot moved the resolution which was unanimously passed by the House.

Earlier this month, the Supreme Court had said that the states were not bound to provide reservation in appointments or promotions. The apex court verdict upheld the Uttarakhand government's contention on the issue.