In a statement here, Bhattal claimed that the Punjab government had become bankrupt as a result of the faulty economic policies of the Akali Dal-BJP government. She said this was the first time that the state is witnessing such a big financial crisis. She expressed doubts whether the state government would be able to pay salaries to its employees in time.

Badal has been announcing major development projects all around without considering the availability of funds. This has led to the present financial crisis in the state, she added.

Besides, the government was providing free electricity to farmers, including big landlords, thereby depriving the state of a huge amount of revenue.

``The Congress government had decided to provide free electricity to all the small farmers with a land holding of up to eight acres. But the Akalis have extended this benefit to even the rich farmers and big landlords, who can easily afford to pay the power charges. It was unfortunate that the small farmers, who were assured free power supply, were now being totally deprived on electricity, leave alone free power,'' she added.

Bhattal alleged that the entire power was being transferred to the farms of big landlords as a majority of the Akalis have huge land holdings and were big farmers themselves.

``Badal is getting free and uninterrupted power supply at the cost of small and medium industrialists who are being charged exhorbitant amounts,'' she further alleged.

Describing the Badal government in the state as directionless, she said even the law and order situation in Punjab has worsened and the number of crimes were increasing by the day.

She alleged that the World Bank, whih had earlier promised to give more than Rs 2,000 crore as loan to the state government for various developmental projects, has also withheld the same due to the wrong economic policies of the government.

It was high time that the Central Government looked into the matter so that the World Bank loan is restored to the state, she added.