category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, in the state budget speech on Friday, targeted the Centre and accused it of turning a deaf ear to the long pending legitimate demands of the state. The minister also took a dig at previous state regimes for leaving the state in financial morass. Cheema presented a Rs 1.96-lakh-crore state budget for FY2023-24 in the state assembly here on Friday which focussed primarily on agriculture, education and health sectors. Targeting the Centre, Cheema said, in spite of repeated requests being made to the Union government, I feel sorry to state that it has been turning a deaf ear to the long pending legitimate demands amounting to Rs 9,035 crore of the state . For instance, the sub-committee constituted by the 15th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of Dr Ramesh Chand, in its report had duly verified the rightful claims of Rs 6,155 crore related to Clean Term Loan amounting to Rs 31,000 crore, which has not been paid to the state. Further, Rs 2,880 crore relating to Rural Development Fund being charged at 3 per cent of MSP on the procured grains that was earlier being reimbursed by the FCI (Food Corporation of India) have also not been released at the Centre, he said. During his speech, the state finance minister said the AAP-led government, which is completing one year in office this month, is working to provide clean, effective and efficient governance and he targeted the previous regimes of leaving the state in a financial mess. He claimed that in spite of difficulties being created by the Centre and legacy financial morass left by our predecessors , the AAP-led government is leaving no stone unturned to provide well deserved financial relief to common Punjabis through our programmes and policies. The impact of 6th Pay Commission, which was delayed by the last government, was taken by our government in the current financial year, Cheema said. Our government showed its commitment to our officers, employees and pensioners by releasing 6 per cent DA (Dearness Allowance) from October 2022, implementing UGC pay scales and the second National Judicial Pay Commission, whereas these were supposed to be paid by the previous government, he said. The financial impact on the state exchequer on account of these is to the tune of Rs 1,150 crore, he stated. Further, in order to clear pending liabilities and speed up works at the ground level, the AAP-led government released previous year s undisbursed central share of Rs 1,750 crore approximately belonging to various centrally sponsored schemes, which was withheld by the previous governments, he said. (editor dailyworld.in)