As the Congress government in Punjab nears six months in power, Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in an exclusive interview with The Hindu has said that revival of investor confidence and industrial development is one of the biggest achievements of his government, while crackdown on drug menace and farm loan waiver are other key accomplishments.
Excerpts:
Congress in Punjab is about to complete six months in power. What are your key achievements?
It is not really possible for me to list out all the achievements we have clocked in the last six months. However, let me sum up some of the major ones.
Revival of investor confidence and industrial development is, in my opinion, one of the biggest achievements of my government, given the financial mess which we have inherited from the erstwhile Akali government. Ease of doing business, which we are promoting in a big way across sectors, is the key to wooing industry and investment back into the State.
Our crackdown on the drug menace, which has broken the backbone of the mafia in the State, is another accomplishment. Our decision to waive off the loans (up to ₹2 lakh) of small and marginal farmers, and the steps we have initiated to boost crop diversification will be beneficial in reviving the State’s beleaguered fiscal situation.
Elimination of various mafias, such as transport and sand, besides abolition of VVIP culture are some of the other achievements.
What’s the roadmap of your government to provide jobs to unemployed youth of Punjab. Do you intend to introduce a new industrial policy?
Our new industrial policy is close to finalisation. The focus will be on further simplifying the systems and procedures for doing business and ensuring level playing field for new and existing industries. Infrastructural development in industrial areas will be a key facet of this policy.
With industrial revival, I see a lot of jobs coming in for the youth of Punjab. But my government is fully cognizant of the gravity of the unemployment problem and have initiated several other measures to address the same.
Apart from setting up employment bureaus in all districts and holding job melas, we are focusing on skill development and training through creation of more centres in collaboration with the private sector. We are creating opportunities for promoting entrepreneurial business.
Our tie-up with Uber for running a bike-taxi service is in line with this approach. We have aggressively started filling up vacancies in the various government departments to boost employment.
You are being accused of going “soft” on drugs menace in backdrop of alleged lack of action against former Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia in alleged drugs cases. How do you respond to it?
Anyone who feels I am going soft on the drugs menace has not checked out the facts nor seen the situation on the ground. We set up the Special Task Force to crack down on drugs immediately after taking over the reins of the government. I have given the STF a free hand to tackle the menace and they have succeeded in ripping apart the network of smugglers, dealers etc. almost completely.
As far as Bikram Singh Majithia is concerned, let me reiterate what I have maintained all through, even during my election rallies — that my government will not indulge in any vendetta politics, but at the same time, anyone found guilty of any crime or misdemeanour will not be spared. It is up to the enforcement department, which is investigating the case, to pin responsibility and initiate action against those found guilty. As far as we are concerned, we will extend all assistance to the ED as and when required.
It is not my job, as Chief Minister, to probe crimes or pronounce anyone guilty. My priority lies in bringing Punjab out of the chaos in which it has been left by the previous government.
You have asked the Centre to relax the Fiscal Responsibility Budget Management rules, to increase borrowing limit to help meet farm debt waiver cost in Punjab. When you promised farm loan waiver during Assembly polls, were you not aware of financial limitations of the State?
Let me start by answering the second part of your question first. While we were always aware that the State was in dire financial straits, the figures which finally emerged were shocking, to say the least. We had expected a financial debt burden of ₹1.5 lakh crore, as against which we are actually faced with ₹2.08 lakh crore of debt. Naturally, this yawning gap in our estimation and reality has forced us to go slow on some of our promises, including farm loan waiver, which we have only been able to implement in part so far.
Having said that, let me also clarify that neither before the polls, nor since forming the government, has the financial situation deterred us from our commitment to fulfil our promises, including the farmers. While we have sought the Central government’s support in executing our plans, I would like to clarify, that with or without Central help, we will fulfil our promise to the distressed farmers. It will just take a little more time. But with the various measures we are taking for economic revival, I am confident it will happen sooner than later.
Congress MLAs have been complaining that bureaucracy has been made “’powerful” while legislators hardly have a say in governance. In fact you recently asked administrative Secretaries and Deputy Commissioners to give MLAs “due respect.” How do you intend to curb the brewing discontent among MLAs?
I do not know what discontent you are talking about. I have been interacting with MLAs since taking over as Chief Minister and have made it clear to the bureaucracy that MLAs should be given due respect. After all they are the bridge between the people and my government. As elected representatives they are accountable to the people and I will not allow anyone to undermine their importance. But I also want to curb the tendency of political interference which, all these years, led to the erosion of all important institutions in the government.
Soon after coming to power one of your Minister, Rana Gurjit Singh, was surrounded with allegations of corruption in sand mining. Questions were also raised on “one man commission” that was set up to probe. How do you react to it?
I do not understand why and how this question crops up time and again despite the fact that I have fully clarified my stand on it. I will not hang a man simply on the basis of media trial or politically motivated allegations. The one-man commission has a senior member of the judiciary, with an impeccable track record and credibility, to investigate every aspect, not just of the allegations against the Minister, but the entire sand mining auctions business. I think the media and other political parties should wait for his conclusions to be made public before cornering Rana Gurjit and baying for the Minister’s blood.
Your bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has caught the attention of many in political circles. How do you react to it?
If, by bonhomie you mean the good relations I share with him, then let me tell you that I had the same bonhomie with then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee during my previous tenure as Chief Minister. I believe completely in working closely with the Central government, whichever party may be in power, in the interest of Punjab and its people. As the Prime Minister of India, Modiji is as much responsible for the welfare of Punjab as I am and his political affiliations are really not material when it comes to the betterment of any State or its people, including Punjab. Close Centre-State relations are the backbone of the development of India and its people and we should make all efforts to maintain such relations, setting aside our political ideologies.
After their loss in recent Assembly polls, do you think Shiromani Akali Dal is now involving in “politics” behind the veil of Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhadhak Committee?
Everyone knows that the Shiromani Akali Dal has always played politics with religion, using it to further their own political ends. SGPC chief Kirpal Singh Badungar himself has been at the forefront of this game-plan of the Akalis. One cannot ignore the fact that he led from the front when the SAD launched a campaign against the Congress some weeks back. The SGPC leadership has become a virtual mouthpiece of the Akalis and have been indulging openly and brazenly in politics, with Mr. Badungar increasingly indicating, by his words and deeds, that he has strong political ambitions and has no qualms in eyeing the SAD top post.
Following conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim, violence hit Haryana and Punjab. Do you think Haryana government could have handled the situation better?
I personally think a huge mistake was made by the Haryana government in allowing such a large group of Dera supporters to gather in Panchkula ahead of the court verdict against Ram Rahim. Had that been prevented, things would not have got out of control. When you allow such a large number of people to come together, especially in a charged environment, a law and order breakdown is almost imminent, which is what happened in Panchkula.
