Punjab asks Centre to set up panel to review Rs 31,000 cr debt

The Congress-led Punjab government today demanded that the Centre set up a review panel to settle Rs 31,000 crore debt incurred for foodgrain procurement during the previous Akali Dal-BJP regime.

The debt burden and other grain procurement related issues were raised by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh at a meeting with Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan here.

"Earlier, the Jha committee had given suggestions to address the debt matter. All issues were sorted out then. The CM wants a separate committee to review it again. We will discuss with finance ministry officials," Paswan told reporters after the meeting.

The state pointed to difficulties to service the debt as the annual interest burden is about Rs 3,240 crore. It wants waiver of interest rate and even the Centre's help in clearing the debt.

Singh is also keen that the Centre should clear pending bills and make timely payments for foodgrains procured for the central pool with retrospective effect according to the Jha committee recommendation.

He requested the central government to revise charges of gunny bags for procured paddy packing at Rs 24 per quintal for the current year or exempt the use of such old bags.

The CM said the state will harvest a record 182 lakh tonnes of rice in the current 2017-18 crop year (July-June) and is getting ready for procurement.

"These were the 3-4 issues. All have been sorted out. We are getting full support from the Centre," the Singh added.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)