Punjab Ranks at Bottom of NITI Aayog Fiscal Health Index, Congress Blames AAP
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday strongly criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, following the release of NITI Aayog's latest fiscal health index. The report placed Punjab at the bottom among 18 major states in India, exposing what Warring termed as the AAP's false claims of progress in the state.
Scathing Indictment of AAP's Fiscal Management
Warring highlighted that Punjab scored a mere 12.4 out of 100 on the fiscal health index, which evaluates states based on five critical parameters:
- Revenue mobilisation
- Expenditure quality
- Fiscal prudence
- Debt levels
- Debt sustainability
He described the NITI Aayog report as a scathing indictment of the AAP's colossal failure, accusing the party of pushing Punjab into virtual bankruptcy through poor economic policies.
Demand for Transparency and Accountability
The Ludhiana MP reiterated his demand for a White Paper on Punjab's fiscal health, urging the government to provide detailed documentation. This, he argued, would allow the people of Punjab to understand how the AAP has allegedly destroyed the state economically, socially, and in terms of law and order.
Warring recalled that the Congress had repeatedly warned the AAP government against its wanton extravagance, which he claimed came at the cost of Punjab's fiscal stability. He emphasized that the consequences of such mismanagement are now evident to everyone, as reflected in the dismal ranking.
Exposure of AAP's Claims
Warring pointed out that AAP leaders had previously made bold claims about turning around Punjab's revenues, citing efforts to curb corruption and illegal activities like sand mining. However, he remarked that all of these claims stand badly exposed today, given the state's poor performance in the fiscal health index.
The PCC chief stressed that the index results serve as a wake-up call, revealing the true state of Punjab's finances under AAP rule. He called for immediate corrective measures to address the fiscal crisis and restore economic health to the state.
