History, Election Manifesto & Development

    Recently concluded process of Punjab State Assembly elections, Shiromani Akali Dal along with its alliance partner Bhartiya Janta Party create history in the 46 years of state Assembly elections by wining second consecutive time with more then required numbers (59 seats) to form the government otherwise both parties (Shiromani Akali Dal and Indian National Congress)were getting chance to govern the state one by one after every polls. During the time of 1^st term Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal on different platforms had said that we will govern the state for next two and half decades and they get down in elections with their work of developments which they did and first time it had seen religion issue was not Akali Dal’s agenda. Sukhbir Singh Badal during election  campaign had said that in coming one year or one and half years period Punjab state will become power surplus state, state public will have facilities of two International Airports and three Domestic Airports link, soon public will get internet facilities to access government services’, so as now they returns in power with 64 seats( SAD 44, BJP 12 seats) which have stamp of 78 percent eligible voters of state, so now time ahead for them is to complete the projects which were under progress plus need some more time to complete.

     To woo voters ruling party/alliance comes with advertisements having detail of their achievements before the election code of conduct comes into force, plus ruling party and other parties release their election manifestos having populist schemes and offerings if they get next term to rule. This time SAD announced in their manifesto schemes which required as per rough estimates money worth 80 billion rupees, below coded were the main offerings in their manifesto -

• Students of 11^th and 12^th standard will get free laptops. 
•  All girl students of above ninth standard will get free bicycles.
• Unemployment allowance of rupees one thousand per month for unemployed. 
• Conversion of state public transport fleet into air condition. 
•  Cash incentives on the birth of girl child. 
• Free Gas connections to Below Poverty Line families.
• Free 250 units of electricity per month to financially weak & schedule caste families of state. 
•  Plot of 5 marle for families which owe no land. 
•  Metro rail for Ludhiana city. 
• Will erect cancer hospitals one each in Majha, Doaba and Malwa region of state.

and to deliver all the above coded state government would need of 80 billion rupees and how it will arrange the money for implementing the promises it will be interesting to see but if one has to imagine the source of money then during elections time Sukhbir Singh Badal had said that they will invite private parties to invest in the state for projects.

  Right now Punjab state is in the grip of massive debt as state is under 7,50 billion rupees debt and state is paying around 70 billion rupees amount per year as debt and interest.; to implement the recommendations of last pay commission seven billion rupees is yet to distribute to the government employees of the state; plus 20 billion rupees bills yet to clear, so in this scenario to bear additional financial burden state exchequer need free flow of money so that populist schemes do not hamper the pace of development projects of state. Coming time is tough for state government to meet the demands easily but with tough decision and private parties participation it’s not impossible, time ahead is full of challenges for the state government but its hard fact that true fighters remain victorious in tough environments. So very best of luck to SAD/BJP alliance.