A major political storm has been created in the Punjab Legislative Assembly on the fifth day of the ongoing budget session with the gas supply crisis issue dominating the Assembly session. The issue has been further escalated with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak expressing his concern over the impact of the rising global tensions on the gas supply and moving a censure motion against the central government, which will be put to vote in the Assembly tomorrow.
While moving the censure motion, the Food and Civil Supplies Minister said, “The rising tensions between Israel and the US are starting to reflect on the gas supply chains. The impact has already been felt on the commercial LPG gas cylinders, which are being widely used in restaurants, hotels, and many industries. The situation may become more challenging with the wheat harvesting season soon to start in the state of Punjab.”
The minister also highlighted logistical concerns related to grain storage. He pointed out that warehouses in the state are already facing space shortages because the lifting of rice stocks has been slow. Additionally, jute bags, which are normally imported from Bangladesh and used for packing wheat during procurement, are in short supply. He said that against the large requirement for the upcoming procurement season, only around three lakh bags are currently available. To address this shortage, the government has directed officials to arrange approximately two lakh plastic bags as an alternative.
Kataruchak further stated that the recent rise in LPG prices could also affect the hospitality sector and other commercial users who depend heavily on gas cylinders. He noted that early signs of supply pressure have already been reported in major cities such as Chennai and Mumbai.
Stressing the gravity of the issue, he further stated, “The state government has thought it imperative to move this resolution to condemn the handling of this issue by the central government.” This resolution has been backed by Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who suggested, “The house must collectively raise its voice on this issue.”
The discussion then took a dramatic turn when Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema criticized the foreign policy of the country, stating, “The foreign policy of the country has failed to safeguard the strategic interests of India in global crises. Today, global crises are directly impacting India’s energy security.”
The political temperature rose further in the house when there was a verbal altercation between an AAP MLA and Sukhpal Singh Khaira, a Congress leader, inside the house. After this, AAP women MLAs were seen protesting outside the assembly against Sukhpal Singh Khaira, accusing him of delivering politically motivated statements.
Aside from this LPG issue, there are still other issues being brought up during this Assembly session. Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar stated in the House that former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had sanctioned the construction of a bus stand in Fazilka without proper approval from the concerned department, resulting in financial losses to the state.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains stated in the House that the Government College in Malerkotla is about to complete 100 years of its establishment and that the government is considering celebrating this event as it is the centenary year of this educational institution.
Health Minister Balbir Singh stated in the House that the government of Odisha has asked for details regarding various welfare initiatives launched in Punjab, including Sehat Kranti, Road Safety Campaign, and Farishte Scheme, with the intention of studying and implementing them in their state as well.
While the debate over this LPG supply crisis is still ongoing and becoming a major talking point in politics, all eyes are now on tomorrow’s vote on this censure motion in the Punjab Assembly, which is sure to add more fire to this confrontation between the ruling party and the opposition.