Chandigarh, July 18: The Central Government’s decision to withhold legitimate financial dues from Punjab took center stage during a state briefing on Friday. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema declared that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the region bypassed the pressing economic requirements of the state in favor of partisan statements.
The state administration noted that repeated appeals regarding the Rural Development Fund and market fees have been made directly to Union ministries. The leadership expressed concern that these pending clearances impact local development initiatives, particularly for the agricultural sector and rural trading communities.
“After last year’s floods, the Punjab Government sought ₹20,000 crore from the Centre. PM Modi announced ₹1,600 crore, but not a single rupee out of that announcement has reached Punjab’s treasury. Punjab’s Rural Development Fund dues have been withheld,” Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated.
The Finance Minister affirmed that the state has successfully delivered on its major welfare commitments within a four-and-a-half-year timeframe. These initiatives include the provision of three hundred units of free domestic electricity monthly, specialized international training programs for public school educators, and upgraded healthcare insurance options.
The administration also noted substantial progress in public employment and regional infrastructure. The Finance Minister maintained that over sixty-eight thousand merit-based public jobs have been provided, alongside the upgrade of forty-five thousand kilometers of the state road network and the creation of thousands of village playgrounds.
“Before forming the government, our National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and CM Bhagwant Singh Mann had given five guarantees to the people of Punjab. Today, the AAP has become the first party in Punjab’s political history to fulfil all five guarantees within four-and-a-half years,” Harpal Singh Cheema asserted while reviewing the state’s developmental trajectory.
