Withholding Rs 1,200 crore of Punjab’s RDF an arm twisting: Manpreet Badal : The Tribune India

Chandigarh, January 6

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal on Wednesday slammed the Centre for allegedly holding again the state’s rural growth fund amounting to Rs 1,200 crore, dubbing it as “an arm twisting tactic” amid the farmers’ protest.

“The type of the federal government of India’s angle in the direction of Punjab isn’t proper. It has withheld our Rs 1,200 crore of RDF on paddy crop. It has not been paid to us as but,” stated Badal whereas addressing the media right here.

He stated the Centre has not launched the RDF regardless of the state elevating the problem with the involved central ministry.

Punjab expenses three per cent of the minimal assist value of wheat and paddy because the RDF from consumers, he stated.

The Centre final yr had allegedly put Punjab’s RDF on maintain on the pretext of scrutinising its utilisation.

Badal stated Punjab’s RDF is a statutory tax which must be paid.

“You can’t query us on this,” he stated, including the Centre had requested the state authorities on the utilisation of RDF funds.

“They (Centre) are upset with us as to why Punjab farmers are agitating and why are you (Punjab authorities) not controlling them. It’s a type of an arm twisting tactic,” he stated.

1000’s of farmers, largely from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been tenting at three Delhi border factors—Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur—for greater than a month, demanding a repeal of the three farm legal guidelines and a authorized assure for minimal assist value for his or her crops.

Badal additional expressed displeasure over the non-selection of Punjab for meals parks proposed to be arrange by some United Arab Emirates entities within the nation.

He stated the United Arab Emirates had deliberate to arrange three meals park tasks within the nation.

“The UAE was eager to arrange a meals park in Punjab. However the authorities of India gave one meals park challenge to Gujarat, second to Madhya Pradesh and the third one to Maharashtra. We really feel this was an unfair choice. Punjab deserved it,” stated Badal.

The state finance minister additionally alleged that the GST (items and providers tax) compensation to the tune of Rs 8,500 crore was nonetheless pending.

Badal stated with the mobilisation of its tax income and rationalisation of the federal government expenditure, the state didn’t go for any overdraft for a single day within the present monetary yr. — PTI