Punjab CM to boycott Niti Aayog meeting over denial of rural funds

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 25

Amidst the brewing political conflict between the ruling BJP at the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will be boycotting the eighth governing council meeting of the Niti Aayog.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will preside over the meeting of the top public policy think-tank in the country in Delhi on Saturday. Highly placed sources said Mann had decided not to attend the meeting in protest against the Centre for alleged “discrimination against Punjab” by withholding funds meant for the state

Initially, it was decided that Mann would participate in the meeting and flag all issues that had caused some friction between Punjab and the Centre.

These include the denial of the Rural Development Fund (RDF) to the state by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution; refusal to grant any fiscal incentives to the industry, especially MSMEs setting shop in the state; and refusal to give a part of Rs 2,500 per acre monetary incentive to farmers for not burning crop stubble. Another issue of denial of funds under Ayushman Bharat scheme for changing the facade and branding these as Aam Aadmi Clinics was also to be raised. The state government is now exploring its legal options to get these dues released.

Last year, the Punjab Government had proposed that farmers in the state be given a cash incentive of Rs 2,500 per acre if they manage the crop stubble in their fields scientifically and not burn it. The state had urged the Centre to pay Rs 1,500 per acre — aggregating to Rs 1,125 crore — while Punjab and Delhi had agreed to contribute Rs 1,000 per acre (Rs 375 crore each) so as to control pollution caused by stubble-burning. In September last year, the Centre had refused to give any help to Punjab.

#Aam Aadmi Party AAP #bhagwant mann #BJP #narendra modi #niti aayog