Sukhpal Khaira challenges Harsimrat , to a public debate on her criticism of Right to Food Security ordinance.

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh,07^th July:-- Punjab Congress spokesman Sukhpal Khaira have advised Bibi Harsimrat Kaur Badal MP, to first introspect within before terming the Right to Food Security, a 'Vote' security ordinance and accusing the UPA govt. of being anti poor.

In a statement issued here today Khaira said that needless to mention, the Right to Food Security ordinance passed by the UPA govt. is a landmark decision, which is going to provide subsidized ration to approx. 67 % of India's population. By ridiculing and opposing the right to food to the poor, Harsimart Kaur is only exposing her feudal mindset and double standards. He further said , "If the SAD-BJP launches the 'Atta-Dal' scheme, it is termed as 'Raj Nahin Sewa' and a pro poor social welfare scheme but if the UPA reaches out to the poor, it is termed as vote bank politics, why these double standards, questions the Congress." Instead of calling the UPA govt. anti poor, Bibi Harsimrat Kaur must first analyze the performance of the SAD-BJP govt. on the social welfare front. He further said that Bibi Harsimrat Kaur's charge of the UPA govt. being anti-poor and not doing enough is also uncalled for and not based on facts. A close perusal of some of UPA govt.'s flagship programmes would indicate, that the SAD-BJP govt. is infact only passing on the benefits with its stamp

 

He alleged that more than 80,000 'Shagun' scheme applications of 'Dalit' girls are pending with the state govt., with arrears of Rs. 122 crores. Similarly, old age and widow pensions are often delayed for months before they reach the beneficiaries. The govt. has also failed to honor its manifesto commitments of doubling old age pension from Rs.250 PM to Rs 500 and also increasing the 'Shagun' scheme from Rs.15000 to Rs.31000.

While more than 30 lac of youth of Punjab remain unemployed, the govt. has failed to provide the promised Rs.1000 PM stipend to even one unemployed youth. Poor are left at the mercy of drug mafia, who rule the roost with the full backing of the Politician-Police nexus. Prices of electricity have been increased manifold which affect the poor, corruption which is rampant in the state also directly affects the poor.

Although, the MANREGA programme has gone a long way in ameliorating the lot of poor in the country, the Punjab govt. has failed to utilize the allocated central funds. The SAD-BJP govt. has hijacked the 108 Ambulance service for the poor by pasting the photo of CM, while it is totally funded under the Rural Health Mission programme of the UPA govt. Even the wheat being passed on for the 'Atta-Dal' scheme is being allocated by the central govt. Hundreds of crores of funds under the Sarb Sikhsha Abhiyaan (SSA) programme, have been instrumental in improving the plight of our 19000 govt. schools, where approx. 34 lac underprivileged students are enrolled.