Chandigarh, Aug 14 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday rejected the AAP government’s claims about the non-release of the state’s dues from the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and said Punjab has always received the amount in accordance with the rules.
Speaking to reporters here, the Union minister claimed there has never been any kind of discrimination against Punjab.
“In accordance with the rules, Punjab has always received its full due amount, and it will continue to do so in the future,” he said.
On further questioning, Chouhan said if they (the Punjab government) have any issues, let them “come and meet me”.
“I invite their agriculture minister and other ministers… Many times, I invite them, but they don’t come,” he said.
Chouhan was in Chandigarh on for the launch of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).
Responding to Chouhan’s remarks, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema termed his statement “highly irresponsible, misleading and a blatant lie”.
Cheema alleged that BJP leaders are experts at lying and distort every fact before presenting it to the public.
He said the Punjab government has continuously raised the issue of RDF funds before the central government on every possible platform.
He said Rs 9,821 crore of RDF remains outstanding to Punjab from the Centre.
Cheema told reporters, “On November 28, 2024, I, along with Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, met Union Minister Prahlad Joshi and demanded the release of Punjab’s Rural Development Fund money. On July 17, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann met Prahlad Joshi and reiterated the same demand.” The finance minister further said he met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on January 10, following which Mann met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 17.
“On April 10, the chief minister met Prahlad Joshi again, and on June 30, I once again requested Sitharaman to release the funds,” he claimed.
Asserting that the demand has been raised through multiple forums, Cheema added, “Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also wrote a letter to the central government conveying this demand. The issue was also raised before Nirmala Sitharaman during meetings of the GST Council and was discussed in detail during the GST Council meeting in August 2025.” “More recently, on March 14, 2026, I sent an official letter to the Government of India demanding the release of Punjab’s outstanding RDF funds. Union Minister Prahlad Joshi himself had assured us that he would hold a meeting with Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman to secure Punjab’s legitimate legal right. Despite this, neither have the funds been released nor has any positive step been taken.” Questioning the Centre over the outstanding amount, the finance minister said, “It is surprising that a senior Union minister who has served as the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh is misleading the people of Punjab. A total of Rs 9,821 crore of RDF is outstanding to Punjab from the central government. The Government of India procures wheat and paddy at MSP, on which 3 per cent RDF money is to be provided as per the rules.” PTI SUN PRK
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.