Bhagwant Mann Raises Grain Lifting, RDF Dues in Meeting with Union Minister

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday met Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Prahlad Joshi in New Delhi to discuss key issues related to grain management and agricultural concerns in the state. During the meeting, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to send a team to Punjab to assess crop damage caused by recent rain and hailstorms. The Union Minister responded positively to the request. Mann stated that a central team is likely to visit the state on Saturday to evaluate the extent of the losses. Mann also raised the issue of grain lifting and sought additional trains to facilitate the movement and storage of wheat. He informed that around 155 lakh metric tonnes of foodgrain are currently lying in the state’s warehouses, necessitating urgent logistical support. The Centre has assured the provision of additional trains from April to June. The Chief Minister further highlighted the issue of higher interest rates imposed on states for cash credit limits provided by the Reserve Bank of India for procurement operations. He pointed out that states are charged 0.55 percent higher interest than the Centre, resulting in an additional burden of about ₹500 crore on Punjab alone. Mann urged that the interest rate be reduced. In addition, he raised the issue of 2.5 percent commission for arhtiyas (commission agents) in Punjab and requested the Centre to accept the demand. He also pressed for the release of pending Rural Development Fund (RDF) dues amounting to ₹9,000 crore. Mann offered that if the Centre releases the RDF funds, the state government would withdraw the related case pending before the Supreme Court of India. After the meeting, addressing the media, Mann referred to a letter written by Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar and remarked that it should have been addressed to the Prime Minister. He also stated that the existing parameters of the crop insurance scheme are not suitable for Punjab.