Chandigarh: A day after the Bhagwant Mann-led AAP govt unveiled its budget, Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini accused the party of indulging in “election-time freebie politics”.Addressing the media on Monday, Saini claimed the people of Punjab are “disillusioned” and have already resolved to seek a change in the next assembly elections. He targeted the AAP’s announcement of monthly cash transfers for women— Rs 1,500 for those in the SC category and Rs 1,000 for others— calling it a populist tactic aimed solely at the polls.
“Whether it was the previous Congress govt or the current AAP regime, both share a history of making attractive promises and distributing freebies during elections,” Saini said. He added that AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s strategy of high-decibel announcements would meet a similar fate as previous unsuccessful populist drives. The Haryana CM criticised the administrative machinery in Punjab, citing “inappropriate behaviour” during his visits to the neighbouring state. Saini alleged that the Mann govt repeatedly obstructed his official programmes. “It is deeply unfortunate that our govt provides full CM protocol for his (Mann’s) visits to Haryana, yet they choose to obstruct our programmes. Here lies the difference in governance,” Saini said. The CM also expressed concern over reports of tear gas being used against women employees protesting on International Women’s Day in Punjab. “Such actions send a deplorable message on a day dedicated to recognising the rights of women,” he said. Contrasting the two states’ policies, Saini pointed to old-age pensions. He said Punjab’s eligibility is capped at an annual income of Rs 60,000, which he termed an “injustice” to the elderly. In comparison, he highlighted that Haryana has fixed the limit at Rs 3 lakh to ensure broader coverage. Haryana’s DBT Push CM Nayab Singh Saini transferred Rs 1,884 crore to lakhs of beneficiaries via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on Monday. He said a sum of Rs 1,357 crore related to women-centric schemes was transferred during a state-level function in Sirsa on Sunday. Another 842.92 crore was disbursed to 26.12 lakh beneficiaries, including old-age and disability allowances, he added. MSID:: 129336300 413 |
