Harpal Singh Cheema AAP MLA and leader of opposition in the Vidhan Sabha came heavily on Capt Amarinder Singh led Congress government and strongly condemned the steep hike in the rates of stamp duty on 17 items which is double the previous rates.
In a statement issued here Cheema said that new stamp duty rates would put an extra burden of Rs.100 crores on the people who are already forced to pay through through their nose for highest VAT in the country on Petrol and Diesel rates. He said that only last week Punjab government had made a hike of nine paise per unit in the power tariff thus burdening people with Rs.250 Crores. Aam Aadmi Party strongly oppose imposition of heavy taxes on public, he added.
Cheema said that if Capt Amarinder Singh acts honestly and strictly to curb the activities of illegal sand and gravel mafia in Punjab, it can add Rs.20000 crores revenue in the state exchequer. He said that pilferage revenue was not going in the pockets of Congress, SAD and BJP leaders who are part of mafia.Similarly Rs.4000 crores was being paid on platter to private power companies due to irrational and illegal agreements signed with them by the previous SAD-BJP government. Capt Government is continuing with the same set of corrupt practices in power sector.
He stated that there would be no relief to the common people from high sand and gravel rates with the new mining policy which is aimed to help the mafia already controlling illegal mining.He said that proposals submitted by Navjot Singh Sidhu have been rejected by the cabinet. He said that system of forming mining corporation on the pattern of Talengana state would have changed the mining scenario in state. He also rejected industrial policy which has failed to attract any investment from outside state and country.
