Chandigarh, 21 September
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and MP Malvinder Singh Kang countered BJP President and Health Minister JP Nadda's statement regarding pending funds for the Ayushman Scheme. Kang lamented the BJP government's ongoing discrimination against Punjab and reminded Nadda of various withheld funds owed to the state.
During a press conference at the party office on Saturday, Malvinder Singh Kang stated that out of the total outstanding amount of ₹376 crore under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, ₹220 crore is owed by the central government. He also highlighted that the central government is withholding ₹950 crore in National Health Mission (NHM) funds for Punjab.
Kang stated that, in addition to these funds, the Modi-led central government is also withholding the Rural Development Fund and Mandi Development Fund for Punjab. He noted that ₹6,800 crore in RDF and ₹177 crore in MDF are owed by the central government. He remarked that the Modi government was compelled to withdraw anti-farmer bills due to widespread protests but is now systematically undermining the mandi system in Punjab. Kang added that despite repeated requests, the central government is not releasing grains from Punjab's godowns, as new paddy will soon start arriving at the mandis.
Kang emphasized that AAP MPs consistently raised the issue of outstanding funds in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, but to no avail. He highlighted that the central government is withholding over ₹8,000 crore from Punjab across various central schemes, including the Rural Development Fund and NHM. Kang challenged JP Nadda to explain why such significant funds are being withheld if the central government truly cares about the people of Punjab.
Exposing another anti-Punjab action by the BJP, Kang told the media that the central government has reduced the debt limit of PSPCL by 50%. He asserted that the BJP has consistently acted against the interests of Punjab and farmers, and instead of releasing funds owed to Punjab, they are blaming the state government for their own failures. Kang criticized the BJP for promising to allocate 2.5% of GDP to the health sector, stating that the reality is starkly different. A leading newspaper reported that the BJP government has failed on the health front, managing to spend less than 0.8% of GDP on health.
Kang argued that to distract from their own shortcomings, BJP leaders are making such statements instead of addressing the real issues. He emphasized that the central government should immediately release all pending funds for Punjab to ensure the state's development is not hindered.