Centre ready to hold discussion with protesting farmers, says Ravneet Bittu
Bittu was in Sangrur to oversee the development work
Farmers News: Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu stated this week that the Union Government is open to engaging with farmer leaders and holding discussions with them. He noted that there are no restrictions on farmers visiting Delhi, citing recent visits by agitating farmer leaders who met with the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, in the Parliament Complex.
Bittu was in Sangrur to oversee the development work being carried out under the Amrit Bharat Station Project at the local railway station.
Regarding the allocation of funds to Punjab, Bittu criticized the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for not arranging a meeting with the Prime Minister or other Union Ministers before the Budget presentation. He noted that the Chief Minister's recent boycott of the Niti Aayog meeting prevented the state’s needs from being discussed and addressed.
On the topic of the withheld Rural Development Fund and the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) funds by the Centre, Bittu suggested that the state government should provide detailed accounts of previous expenditures under these schemes to facilitate the release of the withheld funds.
He also highlighted that the Centre has allocated Rs 5,147 crore for railway projects in Punjab in the Budget.
Speaking to the media in Patiala, Bittu emphasized the Centre's comprehensive procurement efforts and questioned the rationale behind the ongoing protests and road blockades by some farmers. “The Central Government is purchasing every grain from Punjab, yet a segment of farmers continues to protest and block highways,” Bittu remarked.
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