Reiterating the firm commitment of the state government to safeguard the interests of Punjab, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday raised the issues of the state during the 31st meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) meeting chaired by the Union home minister Amit Shah.
Mann while welcoming the Union home minister and the chief ministers of the other states batted for the need for a genuine federal structure.
Seeking the intervention of the Union home minister for the release of the Rural Development Fund (RDF), Mann bemoaned that it has been stalled for a long time.
“The issue of payment of grain procurement towards the Union government is also pending. The farmers of Punjab are reeling under the weight of indebtedness and today are the most neglected people in the eyes of the central government,” Mann said.
The chief minister lamented that the Union government is deliberately not reimbursing Punjab for the total expenditure incurred on the purchase of food grains for FCI. “With every passing year, the state losses are increasing and are now running into thousands of crores of rupees annually,” Mann said.
Mann reiterated that the state has no spare water to share with any other state so instead of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the project should be now conceived as Yamuna Sutlej Link (YSL).
“Water from Ganga and Yamuna should be supplied to Punjab through Sutlej. Rivers like Yamuna, Ravi and Beas also flowed through the erstwhile state of Punjab before re-organization but while apportioning the river waters, between Punjab and Haryana, Yamuna waters were not considered, whereas, waters of Ravi and Beas were duly taken into account for the apportionment,” Mann said.
Opposing the demand of Rajasthan for a member in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), Mann said that BBMB is a body constituted under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganization Act 1966, which primarily deals with the successor States of Punjab and Haryana.
Mann lamented that the Shanan Power House in Jogindernagar issue has been unnecessarily raised by Himachal Pradesh on the ground that the 99-year lease of land given by the Raja of Mandi in 1925 is expiring in 2024. “It is sad that this issue has been raised notwithstanding that this project was given to Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) under the provisions of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 which is the Act of Parliament that created the successor states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
Mann also pleaded for an upward revision of flood relief norms. The chief minister said Punjab has already borne the brunt due to the heavy downpour in the hilly areas early this year. “There is no shortfall in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and only a change in the norms for compensating the damage is required so that the loss of the people can be fully compensated,” he said.
Mann also opposed the levy of water cess by Himachal Pradesh on hydropower projects. The CM cited section 7 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 provides that no state government shall impose an additional rate or fee on another state or the inhabitants thereof, if the basis of the levy is only because works for conservation, regulation or utilisation of water of the Inter-State River has been constructed within the limits of the state.
“Thus Himachal Pradesh cannot impose cess merely because Bhakra and Beas Projects Powerhouse are located within the limits of its territory,” he said.
Mann also raised the issue of the minimum export price (MEP) set for Basmati export. CM said this has been fixed at $1200 per tonne which has adversely hit the domestic price of the crop.
Mann said that there is a strong need to mandate the registration of travel agents, engaged in manpower export, with the State Government in which their client resides.
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!” Click here!
