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Montek calls off Manpreet's
bluff on no budget show
WSN Network
 CHANDIGARH: In a
rather curious situation that saw Punjab Government getting the flak
from the Centre and coming out with lame duck excuses for not
presenting the budget, Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal
has been left high and dry and, of course, much embarrassed.
While announcing
earlier that the Punjab budget was difficult to present because the
Planning Commission of India deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia
had cancelled a February 24 meeting to clear the annual plan of the
state, state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal failed to take into
account the meticulousness with with Ahluwalia takes his job.
Manpreet had
decided to go in for a vote on account, an instrument that gives the
state the legislative sanction for expenditure to carry on the
minimum required tasks while holding back on schemes and tax
measures. He had said on February 17 that since the Budget Session
of the Punjab Assmebly has already been announced for February 27,
and the cancellation of the meeting with Ahluwalia was conveyed only
on February 16, therefore it was not possible to present the budget.
But as soon as
newspapers carried Manpreet's reasons for cancellation of the budget
plans, Ahluwalia was furious. He immediately told his staff to
retain the appointment for February 24 with the Punjab Government,
told Manpreet he was available for the meeting, sent a fax to the
state Chief Secretary and called off the bluff.
"Too late,"
cried Manpreet, and claimed the period was too short for him to now
prepare the budget. Incidentally, the Annual Budget Plan for
2009-2010 for Punjab has been enhanced from Rs 6,200 crore to Rs
8,450 crore. Manpreet had ealrier said that "I do not think it will
be possible for Ahluwalia to hold the meeting in the near future"
but when Ahluwalia actually turned around and offered to hold the
meeting on February 24 itself, Manpreet simply threw up his hands.
Experts said the
reason was actually political. Punjab wanted to wait for the
Centre's full budget so that it can reflect some of the bounty from
the Central-state schemes in its own budget. Besides, any tax
measures just before the Lok Sabha polls would have harmed
politically. The Centre too as gone for a vote on account because
there was no other option. With Lok Sabha elections expected in
April-May, any government at the Centre would have taken the same
route.
But that was not
a reason that Manpreet could have cited for his decision not to
present the budget. A vote-on-account is taken only when there is a
caretaker or a new government which has just taken over. The SAD-BJP
government is in its third year and there was no need for a
vote-on-account. A full budget would possibly have revealed how the
state government had been unable to implement several
Central-sponsored schemes and could not procure Central funds for
developmental projects.
25 February 2009
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