Cong seeks white paper on Madhya Pradesh's financial condition; BJP says wait for state Budget

Bhopal, Feb 4 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh is facing a "serious financial crisis" due to its mounting debt burden, state Congress president Jitu Patwari alleged on Wednesday, and demanded that the government issue a white paper on its economic condition.

The BJP dismissed the allegations, emphasising that the upcoming state Budget is akin to a white paper detailing the fiscal condition. The Congress leader said the state government had taken loans amounting to Rs 78,000 crore so far in the current financial year.

With the addition of recently raised Rs 5,200 crore, the debt has been increasing by around Rs 213 crore per day, he told reporters.

"The government argues that the debt is within the gross domestic product (GDP) limit, but the truth is that the size of the Budget is being increased only to facilitate borrowing," Patwari said, ahead of the Budget session starting February 16.

Reacting to the allegations, Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesman Dr Hitesh Bajpai said Patwari doesn't understand the Budget. "He is an inefficient president of the Congress," he alleged.

Patwari further alleged that the state government was attempting to repay loans by selling state-owned assets. A total of 101 assets had been sold for just Rs 1,100 crore, while preparations were underway to hurriedly sell more, he added.

"All this is a result of corruption and plunder," he said, adding that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has surpassed all his predecessors in borrowing.

The Congress leader alleged that salaries of employees in several departments had not been given for the past six months, while payments to guest teachers had been stalled for months, but the government was busy with publicity.

"The Congress party demands that the government issue a white paper detailing the state's financial condition and its plan for improvement," he said.

Expressing the Congress's willingness to cooperate as an opposition party, he said the party won't allow the state to be pushed into "darkness".

Patwari said Congress will launch agitations against the India-US trade deal over "betrayal of farmers." He demanded the sacking of BJP ministers facing serious allegations, referring to State Health Minister Rajendra Shukla, Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya and Tribal Welfare Minister Vijay Shah.

The Congress leader alleged Shukla was responsible for 26 deaths in the cough syrup case, Vijayvargiya for contaminated water-related fatalities in Indore, and Shah for making a controversial remark against Army officer Colonel Sofia Qureshi.

Reacting sharply, Dr Bajpai said the charges against ministers are politically motivated.

"Drastic executive actions have already been taken in all these cases," he added. PTI LAL NSK