Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the settlement of Rs 31,000 crore of food account on procurement of wheat and paddy, which was wrongly taken over by the erstwhile SAD-BJP state government instead of being adjusted between state and central governments.
Raising the issue with the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister pointed that the Rs 31,000 crore, included Rs 12,000 crore principal and Rs 19,000 crore interest and the sum was on account of non-adjustment of accounts for procurement done by state agencies for Food Corporation of India (FCI) from 2003-2004 onwards.
Punjab Government had been pursuing the matter since taking over and it was now pending for decision with the Union Finance Ministry, said Capt Amarinder told the Prime Minister adding that the State was already facing an annual interest payment liability of Rs 324 crore and total payoff might touch Rs 65,000 crore, which was totally untenable for the state.
Capt Amarinder reiterated his demand for special package for the development of Punjab’s border areas, which he had been pushing for in view of the fact that the state has an active international border, with several thickly populated areas located close to it.
Capt Amarinder lamented that the criteria for allocation of funds for Border Areas Development was unfavourable for Punjab and requested Modi’s support in correcting the anomaly.
He also made a strong request for central financial assistance for the celebrations of 550th anniversary of prakash utsav of Guru Nanak Dev, beginning November 2019.
He pointed to the memorandum already sent by the State Government to the Prime Minister for financial assistance of Rs 2,145 crore and for dedicating some national projects in the memory of Sikhs’ first master.
The Chief Minister requested the Prime Minister to constitute an organizing committee at national level for commemorating the event in a befitting manner.
Pointing out that 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh massacre would be observed on April 13, 2019, at Amritsar, and the Prime Minister chairs the Jallianwala Bagh Trust, Capt Amarinder said that he had sent a request seeking grant of Rs 100 crore for development of surrounding areas and related facilities in Amritsar.
He urged the Prime Minister to direct the Union Ministry of Culture to extend the necessary assistance to the state for this purpose.
The Chief Minister also took up the issue of the problems being faced by the state’s farmers and reiterated his request for a National Debt Waiver Scheme, besides making the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna 100 percent centrally-funded.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also reiterated his demand procurement of alternate crops such as maize, pulses and oilseeds by central agencies.
Seeking early clearance of Shahpur Kandi Project on Ravi, which was being taken up as a project of National Importance on 90:10 funding pattern, the Chief Minister said that it would help utilize Ravi waters more effectively and improve the efficiency of Ranjit Sagar Dam.
Punjab Government has signed an agreement with Jammu and Kashmir but the revised estimate was pending with Government of India for approval, he informed the Prime Minister.
Seeking assistance for the river cleaning project on Satluj and Beas on lines of the Ganga Action Plan, Capt Amarinder told Modi that Punjab was faced with an imminent water crisis with contamination of ground water and falling water table.