(MOREPIC1) Raj Sadosh/Abohar.
Senior Congress leader Dr. Mohinder Rinwa has said that Punjab has been burdened with a massive debt under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. Those who claimed to create a “Rangla Punjab” have today turned it into a “Kangla Punjab.” The government's so-called development schemes are, in fact, based on borrowed money.
Dr. Rinwa questioned the Punjab government's decision to take another loan of Rs. 1000 crore on January 31, stating that it clearly shows the government's extremely weak financial position. Before the assembly elections, Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had claimed to free Punjab from debt, but today the situation is completely the opposite.
He said that today Punjab has reached the second position in the country in terms of borrowing, which exposes the government's failed policies. By the end of 2025-26, the total debt on Punjab is estimated to reach Rs. 4.17 lakh crore, which is a very dangerous sign for the state's economic health. If the government does not have a shortage of funds, then why is it repeatedly taking loans of thousands of crores of rupees? This is a clear contradiction of the government's own claims.
Dr. Rinwa stated that in terms of the Debt-to-GSDP ratio, Punjab has also reached the second position in the country. Punjab's Debt-to-GSDP ratio is approximately 46.6 percent, which means that the debt on Punjab is almost half the size of the state's economy. The instalments for the Rs. 1000 crore loan taken on January 31 will have to be paid until 2038. The government is taking new loans to pay previous instalments.
