Punjab Assembly Budget Session Begins Amid Protests by Congress MLAs
The Budget Session of the Punjab Assembly commenced on Friday with an address by Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, setting the stage for a politically charged session. Congress MLAs marked the occasion with a protest, wearing black armbands to voice their dissent against the state government's alleged mistreatment of farmers and its handling of an incident involving a colonel being assaulted by police in Patiala.
In a dramatic show of dissent, the Congress legislators entered the Well of the House, raised slogans against the government, and subsequently walked out of the Assembly. Following the Governor’s address, the House paid obituary references to departed leaders.
Governor Kataria, in his speech, highlighted key initiatives and achievements of the state government. He stated that a draft agriculture policy has been shared with stakeholders, including farmer and labour unions, for feedback. The policy, crafted by an 11-member expert committee, aims to promote sustainable agriculture, protect natural resources, and improve farmers’ income through environmentally and culturally informed decisions.
The Governor further noted that the government provided over eight hours of uninterrupted power to agricultural consumers during the paddy season without disrupting supply to other sectors. He also mentioned the release of ₹2.7 crore to offset GST paid on goods purchased at religious sites such as the Golden Temple and Durgiana Mandir in Amritsar.
On the law and order front, the Governor emphasized the state’s intensified fight against drugs. A high-powered committee, led by Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, has been constituted to lead the anti-drug campaign, with a special focus on dismantling the economic networks supporting the drug trade. As part of this crackdown, properties of drug smugglers are being demolished to send a strong message.
Highlighting achievements of the Anti-Gangster Task Force, the Governor said 1,588 criminals had been arrested, 13 gangsters neutralized, and 571 criminal modules busted. Additionally, 1,477 weapons were recovered. Between January 1, 2024, and November 28, 2024, nine terror modules were dismantled, leading to 59 arrests.
The discussion on the Governor’s address is scheduled for March 24, while the state budget for the financial year 2025–26 will be presented on March 26. A debate on the budget estimates will follow on March 27. The session is set to conclude on March 28.
In a related development, Punjab Police detained several prominent farmer leaders, including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal, in Mohali following their meeting with a central delegation. The police also cleared long-standing protest sites at Shambhu and Khanauri, dismantling temporary structures and stages that had been in place for over a year.
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