Chandigarh, February 1:
Punjab’s Public Works Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO has accused the Central Government of discriminating against the state in the Union Budget 2026. He said the government, which claims to be pro-farmer, has once again failed to provide a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) to Punjab’s farmers.
He added that the Central Government is discriminating against Punjab on every front.
Harbhajan Singh ETO noted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had demanded a special package to repair the heavy damage caused to the state’s roads by torrential rains in 2025, but the Central Government took no action.
He further stated that the Punjab government had sought a special financial package of Rs 1,000 crore for border security to modernize the police force, along with Rs 7,757 crore in arrears from the Rural Development Fund, a higher crop diversification incentive of Rs 15,000 per acre, GST compensation for revenue losses, and funds for health services and water supply. However, none of these demands were addressed by the Central Government.
Harbhajan Singh ETO said the people of Punjab had expected the Union Budget to announce special concessions to promote the state’s farmers and industries, but this did not happen.
