IEP Chandigarh, June 20
From the freedom struggle of the country to guarding the international borders after independence, Punjab has been at the forefront in making the most sacrifices and farmers in filling the country’s food reserves, but the stepmotherly treatment by the central government against Punjab will not be tolerated. The GoI has withheld the amount of Rural Development Fund (RDF) thus acting against the farmers of the state which will not be tolerated. It was stated by Cabinet Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha while speaking on the resolution moved by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudiyan for the immediate release of the withheld amount of RDF. Criticizing the boycott by the main opposition party Congress, he said that it would be good if the entire House in one voice forwards its demand to the Center on the resolution brought for the good of Punjab. Meet Hayer said that the Center is deliberately harassing the farmers of Punjab, who brought the country out of the food crisis at a difficult time, due to their struggle against black agricultural laws. RDF is no charity, this is the right of the state. The Center has withheld Rs. 3622.40 crore from Punjab from 2021-22 to 2023-24. Along with the hard work of farmers, Punjab has also sacrificed its natural resources, water and soil. RDF provides for the development of villages, link roads and Mandis which are development projects directly related to farmers. The minister said that despite the discrimination of the centre, the State Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is doing major development works in the state including giving 600 units of free electricity, providing government jobs, establishing road infrastructure, and regularising of contractural employees. With the better administrative arrangements made by the state, the budget presented by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema saw increase in the revenue by 40 percent. Meet Hayer said that the previous Congress government took a loan against RDF and misuse these funds, which is a complete deception of the farmers. He said that the parties sitting in the opposition also had governments at the Center from time to time but nowhere did they take the stand in favour of Punjab. Along with suffering from terrorism, the deployment of the military in that period also raised debt. Punjab was made to suffer losses by giving special packages to other states and giving tax concessions to neighbouring states.
