Budgetary Expectations from Punjab Budget-2021 – Brij Bhushan Goyal

There is heightened political show by each political outfit through protests in State’s capital in and outside assembly to catch public limelight in budget session with 2022 elections in sight .The budgetary spending by Punjab 2021 budget may expected as the populace measure too. However, the tax payers across all the strata will always wish that Punjab Budget addresses concerns which are more pertinent today and each rupee spent contributes for betterment of our state. Here are some suggested cues for budgetary allocations:

Agriculture crisis be addressed thoughtfully 

Farmers are on roads of Delhi borders against Central Farm Laws. States have been advocating that Agriculture is under the state list of our Constitution, yet pretty little is allocated/spent in the regional budgets to stem the rot of inertia in innovation in diversification of agriculture. Punjab away from coasts and also with no natural resources of it’s own remains at disadvantage. 

To check Punjab’s depleting water table, we need to seriously encourage change in crop pattern. As shared with me by  K B Singh, an economist who attended a number of State Level Bankers Committee  meetings that NABARD  has been prevailing upon for decades  in each meeting to the State authorities to go far less water dependant crops, but farmers remain hooked to paddy & wheat crops only. We are too late already. 

Punjab’s Budget must allocate funds for giving a determined push for diversification by announcing suitable subsidies for diversified activities other than the existing ones. Dairy farming as an allied activity has been seeing saturation and there is ample stock of dry milk with milk plants. Farm suicides have been mostly from the very small and marginal farmers who are under heavy debt ,mostly of private banks who have flouted NABARD norms for per acreage finance .Punjab Govt. in consultation with PAU and other experts must come to the rescue of this strata by helping them switch to other profitable crops by ensuring their produce marketing linkages besides providing subsidizing their input costs through cluster approach. Cooperatives of small farmers must be provided margin money/subsidies to buy mechanical agro instruments on collective basis.

Allocate funds for existing industrial focal points 

To supplement Punjab’s initiatives in facilitating ‘ease of doing business’ by streamlining online application and sanction system, it needs to be done much more on ground level. 

The existing focal points in the State are in pitiable conditions as the roads are badly broken, lack proper drainage system and sanitary facilities. Poor lighting system in focal point roads is a dampener. Industry has already been shifting to other states. Government must allocate dedicated funds in each budget for maintenance of focal point infrastructure as strengthening focal point cluster and Textile Park clusters in a city like Ludhiana is very essential besides in other focal points of the state as MSMEs are the biggest job providers. Municipal Corporations of such focal points too be directed to reserve funds for infrastructure with no diversion elsewhere. Industry people cry hoarse in each forum but remedial measures for infrastructure are scanty. 

Checking talent drain 

Already millions of dollars are being sent and spent abroad by parents by selling their landed property and raising loans both in urban and rural areas to settle their children overseas due to business and job scenario being dismal here. If Punjab’s youth can excel in distant lands why can’t he/she show and prove talent in their own land? People are awakening fast to the Governmental worth of their scheme be it Central or of States. Human resource development in the state to check talent and brain drain must become a priority to catch the youth young for investing their mental capabilities in their own state. Let youth cooperatives be encouraged and funded for newer vocations.

Provide funds and start marketing hub helpline for small startups

Helping youth requires realistic support in margin money for their newer startups and also by reserving their production supply at least to State departments and PSU undertakings like Rail Coach Factory etc. A strong marketing hub helpline for youth startups should be immediately started in each district in industry offices. Micro manufacturing category out of MSME segment has to be given priority for more self employment for agro service and food processing units to provide additional and alternate employment to youth of rural areas. Reputed engineering colleges and technical institutes of Punjab must be involved in the process for new startup initiatives by pass outs. A determined financial push is also needed for Self Help Groups both in Urban as well as rural segments for encouraging self employment. There is enough scope for export linkages for this segment by minimizing middlemen.    

Let us clean our rivers now

If Ludhiana’s Buddha Darya (Satluj offshoot)could see flow of clear and clean water, it could be a great achievement of present State Government. Pending grants for common effluent treatment plant (CETP) both from Centre as well as State be released immediately besides ensuring transparent spending of funds on water treatment infrastructure.

Brij Bhushan Goyal —-A retired Sr.Banker and a social activist