CM Bhagwant Mann calls on PM, seeks Rs-1 lakh crore financial package

“We, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are working towards nailing the mafia and fill the coffers of the state. We want that we get a special package of Rs 50,000 crore each for two years so that Punjab can be self-reliant after two years,” Mann told the PM.

“I am hopeful that PM will discuss it with the Finance Minister and help Punjab, a state that was at the forefront in the battle of Independence,” Mann later said, adding the PM has assured him of the same.

Raising the issue of national security, with Punjab being a border state, Mann also solicited “wholehearted support from the Centre” to foil the attempts of inimical forces across the border, which is well equipped with the latest techniques. He also assured the prime minister that Punjab would provide all necessary assistance to the Centre in this regard and requested it to furnish the latest and hi-tech infrastructure to our state forces for anti-insurgency operations.
Mann also took up the issue of Centre’s decision to tweak the rules regarding appointments to two key positions on the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB). The Centre recently had tweaked the rules for appointment of member (Power) and member (Irrigation) of BBMB, who were from Punjab and Haryana, respectively. After the changes, the two members could be appointed from anywhere in the country.

The Punjab CM also demanded that the pending amount of Rural Development Fund (RDF) and the Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for wheat procurement be released. He said the state is still awaiting Rs 1082 crore towards RDF from Centre. The Centre has not paid the amount stating that the state government cannot waive off farmers’ debt by using this money. Punjab, being a procurer of foodgrains for central pool, levies 3 per cent RDF on Centre. Earlier, the state government used to levy only 2 per cent RDF, but had enchanced it by one per cent saying that it would spend the additional money on waiving debt of farmers and farm labourers. The Centre has not agreed to it and is not disbursing the amount pertaining to last procurement season.

Also, the state government has demanded Rs 28,151 crore from Centre for CCL. Only six days are left before the procurement season, the first under the AAP government, begins on April 1. Smooth procurement of food grains is a huge political issue in Punjab. If CCL is not released on time, then the procurement may get delayed.

Terming the outcome of his maiden meeting with the prime minister after assuming charge as positive, Bhagwant Mann said the former promised all possible support and complete cooperation to make Punjab a vibrant state (rangla Punjab).

“If Punjab make rapid strides of development, then India would also eventually prosper,” the statement quoted the chief minister as saying.

Mann said Punjab was like a stone studded in the ring of India, but lamented that this stone (Punjab) had gradually lost its sheen with the passage of time due to people’s “ill conceived decisions” to elect certain governments which ruled the state.

He said his government would leave no stone unturned to make Punjab the number one state in the country.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Manjinder Sirsa targeted AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal over the demand for financial package saying the party was seeking money for the freebies it announced at the time of state polls. “Kejriwal’s lies have been exposed by the demand of Rs 1 lakh crore by Punjab CM from PM,” Sirsa said, adding that the AAP chief always resorts to lies for seeking votes from people and he did same in Punjab during last month’s elections.

“Kejriwal announced a host of guarantees for providing free power, Rs 1,000 per month to women and others and when he was questioned on how will they manage finances, he replied that they will save money from sand mining, excise policy and by stopping corruption,” said Sirsa.

Only a week has passed since the formation of AAP government in Punjab and the chief minister has already approached the prime minister seeking Rs 1 lakh crore “to provide these freebies announced by his mentor Arvind Kejriwal”.

As chief minister, Mann has every right to make demands from the prime minister “but demand to provide money for fulfilling promises made by them to Punjabis is totally unjustified”.

“This trend of making announcements and then approaching the central government for money can prove to be disastrous for a nation as more and more leaders like Kejriwal will do same. Now, when Himachal Pradesh is going to have elections in a few months, Kejriwal is headed to hill state where he will repeat same (promises) which he has done in Punjab,” he said.