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.
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 (Rural Development Fund) 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.
”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.
