Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called on the Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi and sought his personal intervention for early resolution of issues pertaining to procurement of grains especially the Cash Credit Limit (CCL). The Chief Minister who met Mr. Narendra Modi at his official residence at 7 RCR this evening, apprised the latter about the problems being faced by the states who carry on the gigantic procurement operations on behalf of the Government of India (GoI) thereby contributing immensely in the national food security. However, Mr. Badal apprised the Prime Minister that the states were facing large number of problems due to huge gap between the cost incurred by states in this regard and reimbursement made by the central agencies. Acceding to demand made by the Chief Minister, Mr. Modi constituted a high level committee comprising officers of both the state and centre government to resolve these issues at the earliest.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Chief Minister met the Union Finance Minister Mr. Arun Jaitley and urged him to put in place a permanent mechanism for reimbursing the entire expenditure meted out by state in procuring the food grains for the country.Interacting with the media persons after having a meeting with the Union Finance Minister at his office in North block, the Chief Minister said that the state government procured the food grains from Punjab for the national pool. However, he said that there was a vast difference between the expenses incurred by the state and price given by the central agencies. Mr. Badal urged the Union Minister to find a permanent solution for this matter so that states do not face any sort of problem. The Chief Minister also batted for settlement of all the previous issues regarding the Cash Credit Limit (CCL) for ever so that hard working and resilient farmers of state do not face any sort of problem. Mr. Badal expressed hope that all the issues related to the CCL would be solved soon.Replying to another query, the Chief Minister reiterated the demand of state government to effectively seal the borders of state for checking infiltration in the state.
He said that Punjab being a border state was on high risk due to porous borders adding that vigilance on border should be intensified to avoid incidents like Pathankot and Dina Nagar terror attacks. Mr. Badal also said that Government of India (GoiI) must generously allocate funds for modernization of state Police force.Taking strong exception on branding of Punjabis as drug addicts, the Chief Minister said that though not even a single ounce of drug was produced in the state but still then some forces inimical to the state were hell bent upon labeling the Punjabis as drug addicts. He said that as Punjab was on transit route of drug smuggling so it was fighting nation's war against drugs. Mr. Badal said that the state government has launched a vigorous campaign to check drug peddling in the state but certain political parties, with vested political interests, were labeling the entire state as drug addicts. Terming the SAD-BJP alliance as everlasting and firm, the Chief Minister said that it was a time tested alliance. He said that the Shiromani Akali Dal has always raised struggle against tyranny, oppression and injustice adding Akali Dal had vehemently opposed the imposition of Emergency by the then Congress government in 1975. The Chief Minister was accompanied by Cabinet Ministers Mr. Adesh Pratap Singh Kairon and Finance Minister Mr. Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Additional Chief Secretary Mr. DP Reddy, Secretary Food and Civil Supply Mr. Raj Kamal Chaudhary, Secretary Irrigation Mr. Kahan Singh Pannu and Resident Commissioner Punjab Bhawan Mr. K Siva Prasad.