AAP govt in Punjab not implementing Centre's schemes, alleges Union minister Puri

Ludhiana, Jun 12 (PTI) Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday attacked the Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab, accusing it of not implementing central government schemes.

Puri was campaigning for the BJP candidate Jiwan Gupta ahead of the June 19 Ludhiana West assembly bypoll. The counting of votes will take place on June 23.

The Ludhiana West assembly seat fell vacant following the death of AAP MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi in January.

Speaking to the media here, the minister said, Punjab is "falling behind" other states economically due to the state government's "reluctance" to adopt central initiatives.

"States governed by the BJP or those cooperating with the Centre's policies are witnessing robust economic progress. Unfortunately, Punjab is not among them," he said.

Puri emphasised that while India has made significant strides in several sectors, including advancements in space, Punjab has not fully benefited from central welfare programmes.

He attributed this to the AAP government's purported non-implementation of central schemes like the Ayushman Bharat Healthcare programme and termed it a "regrettable example".

"All central schemes are available throughout the country, but if these schemes aren't implemented in states like Punjab, it's a matter of deep regret," he said.

Puri said the BJP's 11-year report card on national achievements should be widely disseminated in Punjab.

He expressed concerns regarding the governance in Punjab and said, despite Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's election promise to eliminate drugs, little progress has been observed.

He criticised the prevailing law and order situation in the state and also chided the AAP government for not keeping its poll promise of a Rs 1,000 per month allowance to women.

Puri highlighted the Modi-led government's achievements over the past 11 years, focusing on India's substantial economic progress.

He stated that in 2014, when Narendra Modi became prime minister, India's economy was valued at USD 2 trillion and ranked 10th globally.

Since then, India has surpassed the UK to become the 5th largest economy and recently overtook Japan to claim the 4th position, he said.

According to World Bank assessments, Puri projected that India would surpass Germany within the next year.

He underscored India's robust economic growth rate of 6.5 per cent, significantly higher than the approximately 2 per cent growth rates of the UK, Japan, and Germany.

This rapid growth, he suggested, positions India to become the world's third-largest economy by 2026, with its current economy standing at USD 4.3 trillion.

Puri further detailed the expansion of welfare programmes under the current administration.

He noted that the number of LPG cylinder connections in the country has increased from 14 crore in 2014 to over 33 crore now.

He mentioned the 2016 launch of the Ujjwala Yojana, which provides LPG cylinders at subsidised prices, primarily benefiting rural areas.

Additionally, Puri said 4 crore people have received houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with plans to construct 3 crore more homes across India in the coming years. PTI COR CHS RHL