Punjab Budget Session: Opp claims Rs 4,000 cr ‘scam’ in paddy procurement, says fund diverted for Delhi polls

Arora hits back, dares Congress to come up with 'even a single complaint from farmers” in this regard

Punjab budget session ((Photo/X@BhagwantMann via PTI Photo)

4 min readChandigarhMar 29, 2025 12:46 AM IST First published on: Mar 29, 2025 at 12:46 AM IST

The Congress on Friday alleged a Rs 4,000 crore “scam” in paddy procurement in the Majha region, claiming that while bills were generated at the MSP for the procured crop, the farmers did not get the full price for their crop during the last season. The Opposition party also alleged that Aam Admi Party may have siphoned the balance amount out of Punjab to fund its Delhi Assembly election campaign, a charge vehemently objected to by Cabinet Minister Aman Arora, who dared the Congress to come up with ‘even a single complaint from farmers” in this regard.

The issue was raised by Congress MLA and former minister Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa during the Zero Hour on the concluding day of the Budget Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. Tript Rajinder alleged a huge scam paddy procurement in the Majha region. “Farmers sold the paddy at the rate of Rs 1700 to Rs 2100 per quintal. There has been a scam of around Rs 4,000 crore. Paddy was procured by Punjab’s agencies and farmers did not get full payment even though the bills were generated for the full rate. In whose pockets did the balance amount go? Will the government order an inquiry into this,” the Fatehgarh Churian MLA asked.

Trip Rajinder further alleged that it was being said that “the money perhaps went to Delhi and was spent in elections”. He said the government should make its position clear.

As Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak was not present in the House, Governance Reforms and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora intervened. “The MLA says that people are asking where the Rs 4000 crore went?. This issue had cropped up earlier too. As far as I know, the CCL (cash credit limit) funds are credited into the bank accounts of farmers according to the minimum support price (MSP) following the purchase of the crop. This is what happened this time too. There has been not a single complaint from any farmer,” Arora said.

The minister asked Tript Rajinder if he had come across any such complaint. “If any farmer sold his crop at a lesser price with higher moisture content to a rice seller, then how will the government come to know about it unless there is a written complaint,” Arora said, adding that Tript Rajinder should not make such statements “in the name of people” as the credibility of the government suffers.

At this point, Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa, rose from his seat and said, “What Tript Rajinder has said is absolutely correct. I will suggest that a House committee be formed and if anyone has been looted, it will come before the committee. Let us have a fair inquiry into it.”

Arora again got up and said that a House Committee could only be formed if a written complaint comes before the government about any such case.

“There is no single written complaint with the government. There is a protocol and decorum for doing anything. If there is even a cut of one paise on any farmer then he has to first complain to the District Food and Supply Controller and then escalate to Principal Secretary and then minister and government. Here we are talking directly about a House Committee,” Arora said.

Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan interjected at this point and said that the Chair has to decide if a House Committee has to be formed and in any case there is a standing committee on agriculture and the issue can be placed before it.

The LoP got up and said a senior-most MLA and former minister has raised the issue and this should be treated as a complaint. The Speaker again reiterated that the matter could be raised before the committee on agriculture.

At this stage Arora said Zero Hour was being used for making political allegations. “MLAs are even higher than the Chief Secretary. Has this matter been brought to his notice? Please, for God’s sakes, let us not do this. Did you send a written complaint to anyone? You are making allegations about money having been sent for Delhi elections etc. What is this? Is this a joke? What proof do you have?,” the Minister asked even as Tript Rajinder argued back with his mic switched off.