Chandigarh, April 29 -- The Punjab government has once again raised the issue of pending market fee accrual and rural development fund (RDF) with the Centre. In a letter to Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sent last week, state food and civil supplies minister Lal Chand Kataruchak said that repeated reminders have been sent for the past three years and seven procurement seasons rabi (wheat) and kharif (paddy) but market fee funds are being sent at 2% rate.

The state has been seeking a market fee at 3% and according to data, an amount of Rs.1,100 crore is pending market with the Centre. The pendency is since 2021, which means four paddy procurement seasons (2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024) including three wheat procurements and ...