The state has also asked the Union Government that it should pay Rs1,500 crore in advance to purchase the gunny bags required to stack wheat in April.
CHANDIGARH – Besides handing over a bill of Rs 24,431 crore to the Centre for payment as expenses incurred on the procurement of foodgrain for the Central pool in the recent years, the Punjab Government has today asked the Union Government that it should pay the money to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore in advance to purchase the gunny bags required to stack wheat in April.
Obviously, the state government has adopted a tough posture vis-a-vis the Centre as it kept the state waiting for weeks to release the money from the cash credit limit (CCL) during the paddy season. In the process, the state government got a bad name and faced criticism from farm organizations and commission agents for delay in payment for paddy to them.
The Union Finance Ministry had put the release of money from the CCL on hold insisting that first the state government should settle the food account involving Rs 42,000 crore. However, state government insisted that as there was a dispute over food account, it could be settled later and the Centre should not delay the release of the CCL money required to procure paddy. Now, in a bid to settle the disputed food account involving Rs 42,000 crore, the state government has claimed Rs 24,431 crore as part of settlement of its various fiscal claims connected with the procurement of foodgrain for the Central pool for the past some years.
Asking for the reimbursement of Rs 24,431 crore, the government has told the Centre that it would pay the balance amount (Rs 42,000 minus Rs 24,431 crore) by transferring the foodgrain lying in its stock to the Central pool. Sources said Punjab Food and Supply Minster Adesh Partap Singh Kairon has reached Delhi to take up the matter with the Centre. Kairon wanted to settle disputed food account before the beginning of wheat harvesting in April. For gunny bags, the order has to be placed in advance to manufactures through the Union Textile Ministry and the money has to be paid in advance. The state today wrote to the Centre that the gunny bags were required for the wheat to be procured for the Central pool and for that the Union Government should pay.
“Why should we block our Rs 1,500 crore in advance to procure gunny bags for the wheat? It is Centre’s headache to provide gunny bags”, said a state government official.
As for the payment of Rs 24,431 crore, it includes Rs 1,506 crore as transportation charges for paddy within and beyond 8 km from grain market to storage point. For delay in payment of these charges, the state government has sought interest of Rs 1,309 crore, thus making it a total to Rs 2,815 crore.
