Punjab’s woes are getting multiplied.

Once again Akalis have settled for an incremental politics and blame game. At Shimla where the leadership met for three days, the ruling party in Punjab failed to provide any workable policy frame. Instead it struck to small time agenda and blaming government of India where Congress rules for the fiscal ills.

Those who know the Akali supreme leader, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, now into his fourth term as chief minister, understand the limited capabilities of the leader. The much talked about conference had one point agenda; put a strong stamp on the leadership of the young Badal, Sukhbir Singh. Gradually and definitely the way to the top slot for this ambitious young man is being cleared from any potential hurdles.

Mr. Badal, an old war horse has no rivals among the Akalis of today. He has placed his immediate family and close relations in positions of power and has drawn his line of secession whether one appreciates it or not. To recount, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal is party president and deputy chief minister and he rules the party and directs the state apparatus. His nephew, Manpreet Singh Badal, though embittered is the finance minister; his son- in ­law, Adesh Partap Singh Karion looks after all important food and supply and excise portfolios. There are others not so distant relatives. Daughter- in- law is a member of the Lok Sabha and her brother, a minister till yesterday is a powerful MLA, calling shots in Punjab’s Majha region.

It is okay for the Akalis to drum up issues like federalism, autonomy, riparian laws for river waters and transfer of Chandigarh. But the Dal has to be consistent. These issues are basic to Punjab and should not be political convenient tools.  Forget when sharing power at the national level and bring them back when the Congress is in power. People who filled jails, faced bullets and died observing fast unto death do understand the games now. It is indeed laughable when a senior leader like Mr. Badal says that he does not want a chief commissioner for Chandigarh and the administrator, the Punjab governor should head the administration as this would dilute Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh. He accepts a badly administered city which is the capital of both Punjab and Haryana.

No experts are needed to declare that the Punjab’s economic and fiscal matters are in doldrums. Short of  cash flow and faced with a huge subsidy bill, the cash-strapped  government has virtually been selling off over Rs 400 crore of its government securities each month this year, in order to pay salaries and  meet other dire expenses. Since January 2009, it has raised Rs 3,458 crore by getting its state development loans auctioned through the Reserve Bank.  It has to raise Rs 5,000 crore this way during this financial year. Its annual plan is in a limbo. Punjab has today a whooping debt of Rs 62,000 crore thanks to misrule of both r Akalis and the congress party during the last many years.

Punjab has a huge annual subsidy bill of Rs 4,500 crore. With the power subsidy bill going up to an astonishing Rs 3,142 crore; up from Rs 2,602 crore last year and no signs of an increase in its revenue, it is in anxious time.  Many centrally sponsored schemes offer huge funds to move the developments forward. Since it has neither the money to put as its share nor the mind to work, many such schemes are falling by the way side.

It is good to drum demand for a Special Agricultural Zone status for Punjab, with all incentives, facilities and fiscal subsidies on the lines of those extended to SEZs for industry.  And, ask 50 per cent share in the state's contribution to Central taxes. It is also good to document the history of the Akalis since 1920, put up a museum of history at the party office at Amritsar, though Akalis are not yet an object of a museum. A documentary and a book on its history are also in order.  But do the leaders have to travel all the way, spend huge money to announce these programmes.

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