Punjab seeks immediate release of Rs 7,000 crore funds to boost agricultural sector
A delegation urges Centre to prioritise the release of these funds to avoid hindering agricultural development in state
PTC Web Desk: To address critical issues surrounding the Agricultural Rural Development Fund (ARDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF), a high-level delegation from Punjab met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The delegation, led by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, MP Vikramjeet Singh Sahney, and Punjab Chief Secretary KAP. Sinha, urged the immediate release of Rs 7,000 crore in ARDF and MDF payments. These payments are crucial for maintaining and developing Punjab's agricultural marketing infrastructure.
Harpal Singh Cheema, while addressing the media after the meeting, emphasised the urgent need for the release of these funds due to the significant delay, which has put the state's agricultural infrastructure at risk. The delegation highlighted that ARDF and MDF play an essential role in sustaining the state’s vast network of mandis (markets), roads connecting them, and other agricultural infrastructure.
The Finance Minister further explained that Punjab, as a Decentralised Procurement (DCP) state, faces challenges that are different from those in non-DCP states, making the need for ARDF and MDF support even more pressing. Cheema stressed that Punjab’s agricultural infrastructure, developed over decades, requires continued investment to maintain and improve road networks connecting rural areas to mandis, which are critical for the state's agriculture-based economy.
Cheema also pointed out that the existing infrastructure in Punjab, which no other state possesses, requires ongoing repairs and upgrades, which cannot be done without the timely release of ARDF and MDF funds. He added that delays in releasing the funds will seriously limit the state’s capacity to maintain and enhance its agricultural infrastructure, which could lead to serious disruptions in the procurement process for crops.
The Punjab delegation urged the Central Government to prioritise the release of these funds to avoid hindering the agricultural development in the state and to ensure the smooth functioning of the procurement process. The Finance Minister expressed hope that a decision would be made soon and that the much-needed financial support for Punjab’s agricultural infrastructure would be promptly released to ensure its continuous development and maintenance.