Chandigarh, August 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday accused the BJP-led Central Government of withholding ₹9,821 crore due to Punjab under the Rural Development Fund (RDF), while rejecting Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s claim that no Punjab minister had approached the Centre for release of the funds.
Cheema termed Chouhan’s statement “highly irresponsible” and “misleading”, asserting that the Punjab Government had repeatedly raised the RDF issue with the Centre through meetings, letters and various institutional forums.
Addressing a press conference, Cheema said he and Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak met Union Minister Prahlad Joshi on November 28, 2024, to seek release of Punjab’s RDF dues. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann also raised the issue with Joshi on July 17, he said.
Cheema said he met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on January 10, followed by Mann’s meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah on January 17. Mann again raised the matter with Joshi on April 10, while Cheema said he made another request to Sitharaman on June 30.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan also wrote to the Centre on the issue, while the state raised the matter with Sitharaman during GST Council meetings, including a detailed discussion in August 2025, Cheema said.
He added that on March 14, 2026, he formally wrote to the Government of India seeking release of the outstanding RDF amount. According to Cheema, Joshi had assured the Punjab Government that he would discuss the matter with Amit Shah and Sitharaman to secure what Punjab considers its legitimate entitlement.
“Despite this, neither have the funds been released nor has any positive step been taken,” Cheema said.
Explaining the state’s claim, the Finance Minister said the Centre procures wheat and paddy at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), with 3 per cent RDF payable under the applicable rules. He put Punjab’s outstanding RDF dues at ₹9,821 crore.
Cheema also rejected allegations of misuse of RDF, saying the previous Akali-BJP government had misused the funds. He said the AAP Government amended the law in 2022 to ensure that RDF money would be used only for improving farmers’ mandis and rural roads.
Accusing the Centre of betraying Punjab’s farmers and the common people, Cheema said Union ministers were now resorting to “misleading propaganda” to deflect attention from the issue.
He maintained that Punjab had consistently pursued the release of the funds and urged the Centre to clear the outstanding amount.
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