Chandigarh: Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Tuesday presented his roadmap for 'Punjab model' economic development in a press conference. Sidhu said that he has been upholding Punjab's cause for the last 17 years, emphasized upon the need to stop corruption in various areas in the state in order for it to move forward.
Terming the initiatives together as 'Punjab model', Sidhu laid out reformations in several sectors, such as mining, excise, cable regulation and transport, focusing on issues plaguing Punjab such as tax evasion. "The biggest need is stopping tax evasion. Theft of Rs 50,000 crore can be stopped," the Congress leader said.
Sidhu unwilling to compromise on Punjab model
Noting his future in state politics depended on the implementation of the model, Sidhu said he was not willing to compromise. "My future depends on it, if anyone has a better model than this, I am ready to argue with him. I am not answering any particular person, this answer is on the question raised by Member of Parliament Ravneet Bittu on Punjab model," he stated.
He opined bringing liquor distribution in the state under an liquor corporation overseeing the area.
"Liquor is out of GST. Those who levy VAT on it are earning more money. An example of this is Tamil Nadu earning 37 thousand crores, while their consumption is half that of Punjab. This will prevent corporation excise leakage. Stop illegal sales. Liquor will be brought under VAT and government contracts of liquor will open up. States that have created liquor corporations are earning 20 times more money compared to us", he noted.
Sidhu pitches for Telangana model
Sidhu pitched creation of bodies such as Punjab State Liquor Corporation, Sand Mining Corporation and Cable Regulatory Commission in order to bring in regulations pertaining to outdoor commercials. The Congress leader said that neither liquor nor sand would get any cheaper regardless of what the government says. Liquor, he noted, does not get cheaper due to excise theft, and sand witnesses a similar situation.
"The other major issue is the digging of sand. There are places having 13,000 Km of river bodies. In such places the price of excavating material shoots up from Rs 5,000 to Rs 20,000. Government stockyards will be built. There are 102 mining sites in 14 districts. The government itself will sell sand by mining.
"The Telangana model will work. This will generate an income of 3 thousand crores. There will be chips on the trucks. There will be an annual audit for this. There will be 3 thousand crore income. 5 thousand people will get direct jobs and 15 to 20 thousand will get indirect jobs", the Congress leader added.
"Punjab does not belong to any one. The CM of Punjab is not the Congress High Command. The people will decide," Siddhu also said during the press conference.
