CM Mann Meets Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in Delhi:

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann held a high-level meeting with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi in New Delhi to address pressing agricultural and economic challenges facing the state. The talks centered around securing immediate relief for farmers and resolving pending financial dues.

• Crop Damage & Relief: CM Mann strongly raised the issue of widespread crop damage caused by unseasonal rains and adverse weather. He advocated for relaxed procurement specifications and swift financial compensation to protect farmers from heavy losses.

  
  

   

• Pending RDF Dues: The Chief Minister pressed the Centre to release Punjab's stalled Rural Development Fund (RDF). This critical capital is necessary for maintaining and upgrading rural road networks and mandi (grain market) infrastructure.

• Procurement & Storage: Concerns regarding the smooth lifting of grains, middlemen commissions, and a lack of storage space in central godowns were also flagged to ensure the harvest season proceeds without bottlenecks.

Centre's Response Following the discussion, the central government provided a positive assurance. Union Minister Joshi committed to dispatching central assessment teams to Punjab. These teams will conduct a ground-level evaluation of the crop damage to facilitate timely relief and coordinate further action on the state's demands.