Chandigarh- It is surprising that Punjab is today grappling with a huge infrastructural and financial crisis, yet the demand for development is not being heard anywhere.
The current Punjab government had promised to build more than 20 new medical colleges in the next five years. The fact is that the foundation stone of two medical colleges in Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala approved by the previous governments could not even be laid. Contractors are also not ready to take up work due to long arrears of government payments and unfulfilled promises.
The state’s highways are also in a state of disrepair. The state highways, which were earlier maintained through the toll system, are deteriorating day by day. There was initial applause when the government announced toll waiver, but due to non-repair of roads, people travelling are suffering on the roads with potholes and broken roads.
Meanwhile, government employees as well as staff of government grant-in-aid schools and colleges are also facing a serious financial crisis. Salaries have not been released for the last six months, which is putting families in difficulty. Despite the festive season approaching, employees have no hope of a hike in Dearness Allowance (DA), they are only waiting for their pending salaries.
Punjab’s financial condition is also very worrying. The state is already burdened with a debt of about ?4 lakh crore and if the situation continues like this, this figure could reach ?5 lakh crore by the 2027 assembly elections.
Renowned social worker Sanjeev Kumar expressed deep concern over this situation in Punjab. He warned that if immediate concrete steps are not taken, the state’s development, economy and future generations could be in serious trouble.