Chandigarh, March 14
Aman Arora, Cabinet Minister of Punjab and President of Aam Aadmi Party Punjab, on Friday raised several questions regarding the visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to the state while addressing the media at Punjab Bhawan in Chandigarh.
Arora said that Amit Shah should answer the people of Punjab about the ₹8,300 crore Rural Development Fund (RDF) that, according to him, has been withheld by the central government for the past four years. He questioned whether the amount would be released during Shah’s visit or if it would remain another unfulfilled promise. Arora also raised the issue of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), claiming that Punjab has suffered a loss of about ₹6,000 crore due to it and that the people of the state deserve an explanation.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit during the floods, Arora said that the Prime Minister had announced financial assistance of ₹1,600 crore for Punjab. However, he alleged that the state has not received even a small portion of that amount so far.
Arora further stated that the central government has provided several incentives for industries in neighbouring states, which encouraged industrialists from Punjab to set up their businesses there, causing significant losses to the state. He added that the Centre has not provided any relief to Punjab in this regard.
Criticising the Centre over the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme, Arora questioned the intention behind replacing or altering the scheme and introducing a new one.
Speaking on the issue of drug trafficking in Punjab, Arora said that large consignments of drugs have been seized in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan, where the Bharatiya Janata Party is in power. He also pointed out that international borders fall under the jurisdiction of the central government and asked why stronger measures are not being taken to curb drug smuggling.
Arora also blamed the central government’s domestic and foreign policies for the current shortage of LPG cylinders in the country.
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