Punjab grapples with debt burden exceeding 23% of revenue and work‑permit rejections for students in Canada

Congress MP Manish Tiwari said Punjab's debt‑service cost, including principal and interest, totals about ₹42,481 crore, which is more than 23 percent of the state's total revenue. He noted that the debt‑to‑GDP ratio rose from 36.2 percent in 2019‑20 to 41.3 percent, fell slightly, and climbed again to 39.9 percent in 2024‑25, leaving only about 5.6 percent of revenue for capital‑expenditure development.

Punjab's migrant‑affairs minister Ravjot Singh warned that roughly 1,500 Punjabi students studying in Canada are facing large‑scale work‑permit rejections after completing their programmes. He said the students have incurred serious financial, mental and legal hardships and has written to Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar seeking diplomatic intervention, while also exploring legal assistance for the affected students.