Punjab Assembly passes resolution over Centre 'withholding' Rs 3,622 crore RDF dues

The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution over the Centre "withholding" more than Rs 3,600 crore in Rural Development Fund, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann warning that the state government will approach the Supreme Court if the money is not released within a week.

The Punjab government has accused the BJP-led Centre of not releasing Rs 3,622.40 crore of the Rural Development Fund (RDF).

The motion was moved by Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

"This House recommends to the state government to approach the central government for the release of withheld RDF amounting to Rs 3,622.40 crore immediately so as to continue with the uninterrupted developmental activities for the welfare of farmers and rural population of Punjab," the resolution stated.

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"Due to non-release of the Rural Development Fee for the last four seasons -- Kharif market season 2021-22, Rabi market season 2022-23, Kharif market season 2022-23 and Rabi market season 2023-24 by the Government of India, the rural development works of Punjab are being adversely affected," it further stated.

Mann said, "RDF is our right, we are not begging" and added that if the Centre does not release the fund within a week, the state government will approach the Supreme Court.

Mann alleged that the Centre is stopping funds of a state that played a key role in India's freedom struggle. "Do they want to arm-twist us by stopping the RDF funds?" he asked.

Members of the Congress staged a walkout before the resolution was moved over there being no Question Hour or Zero Hour in the two-day special session.

The BJP on Monday said the AAP government is holding the two-day special session to further its own agenda and wasting taxpayers' money. It had also announced its intention to stay away from the proceedings.

According to the resolution, the assembly "strongly condemns" the Centre for withholding Rs 3,622.40 crore towards the Rural Development Fund, including interest of 3 per cent, for the last four marketing seasons on agricultural produce bought from Punjab.

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The money has been withheld despite the requisite amendments in the Punjab Rural Development Act, as directed by the Centre, being passed by the House and the publication of a notification in the official gazette by the state government on July 18, 2022, it stated.

"Punjab has created a huge market infrastructure unparalleled to any other state of India. The RDF so collected is utilised solely for the welfare of farmers of the state and development of rural infrastructure, including maintenance and creation of rural mandis and rural link roads for enabling easy access in transporting agricultural produce to the nearest mandis," it said.

"Thus, due to the non-release of RDF by the Centre, all the rural development activities in Punjab have come to a halt," the resolution added.

Mann alleged the BJP-led government at the Centre troubles non-BJP governed states, including West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Punjab and Telangana, through the respective governors.

It should have been the duty of the governor to plead Punjab's case and take up the Rural Development Fund issue with the Centre, the chief minister said.

But the Raj Bhavans have become "head offices" of the BJP, he alleged.

"This is not the only fund that they (Centre) have stopped…," Mann said.

He also took a dig at the Congress, the main Opposition, saying its members staged a walkout when they should have been present and supported the resolution.

"They should have spoken (out) on this important issue, the matter concerns Punjab," said Mann.

Shiromani Akali Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party members and an Independent MLA were present and supported the resolution, he said.