Punjab keeps MLAS waiting for laptops
Thursday, 02/08/2012
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Punjab legislators’ wait for free laptops is getting agonisingly long.
In April, the state government had promised laptops for all 117 MLAs in an effort to increase their efficiency. However, Punjab’s poor fiscal health has proved to be a stumbling block.
Apparently to buy time, the government has now referred the matter to the department of governance reforms, seeking its advice on the matter. The department, which is under deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, will examine various aspects, including the cost, make, quality and software of the laptops.
Punjab principal secretary, finance, Satish Chandra told Hindustan Times that the finance department had referred the matter to the department of governance reforms.
“Since the department of governance reforms has a budgetary allocation of Rs 10 crore and also deals with matters pertaining to information technology (IT), it is in the best position to decide on the issue,” Chandra added.
Sources said a majority of the legislators were keen on having an Apple laptop, which costs around Rs 1 lakh each. Finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa had announced free laptops for MLAs when he took the vote-on-account in the Vidhan Sabha in April. At that time, the total budget in this regard was pegged at Rs 50 lakh for 117 MLAs (approximately Rs 43,000 per laptop). “A special software would be installed in the laptops so that MLAs can read the soft copy of all documents about financial matters,” Dhindsa had announced. In 2009, the assembly had adopted the report of the General Purpose Committee, which had recommended laptops for MLAs. However, the recommendation could not be implemented due to lack of funds. Now, the SAD-BJP government has again failed to keep its promise so far. The SAD had promised in its manifesto during the January assembly polls to provide free laptops to students. Later, CM Parkash Singh Badal had announced that if SAD-BJP alliance retained power, it will approve the distribution of laptops among students at the first cabinet meeting.
However, after the state budget was presented in June, the government provided tablets instead of laptops, and that too only to Class 12 students. It also failed to provide data cards to students, which were promised.
