Chandigarh, July 17 -- Chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday sought the intervention of Union food minister Pralhad Joshi for the immediate release of over Rs.9,000 crore pending rural development fund (RDF) and market fees. Mann raised these concerns during a meeting at Joshi's residence in the national capital, highlighting their impact on rural infrastructure and the agricultural economy of Punjab. The CM pointed out that the RDF, which is essential for promoting rural infrastructure, has not been released since the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2021-22. Despite amendments to the Punjab Rural Development Act in line with central guidelines, Punjab still awaits Rs.7,737.27 crore under RDF and Rs.1,836.62 crore under market fees. Mann stressed that this delay is affecting the development and maintenance of rural roads, storage facilities in mandis, and other essential infrastructure. The CM emphasised that the Mandi Board and Rural Development Board are struggling financially to repay loans and maintain existing infrastructure, urging the Union minister to expedite the release of these funds to support the agricultural economy. Mann also raised concerns over a persistent shortage of covered storage space in Punjab. He said the shortage led to the extension of the rice delivery period to September 30, 2024, which created challenges for rice millers. Mann noted that while 107 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) of rice had been delivered to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) by June 2025, 10 LMT remained pending. He stressed the need to move at least 15 LMT of rice in July 2025 to ensure timely milling and avoid unrest among millers, which could disrupt the procurement process for the 2025-26 season. To address the storage crisis, Mann proposed converting wheat godowns into rice storage facilities to free up an additional 7 LMT of capacity by 2025. He called on the Union government to adopt this strategy, which could be implemented across the country to alleviate storage shortages. The CM also raised the issue of the "arhtiya" commission, which the Union government had fixed at Rs.45.88 per quintal for paddy and Rs.46 per quintal for wheat, even though Punjab's Agricultural Marketing Board bylaws stipulate a 2.5% commission on MSP. Mann urged Joshi to revise the rates to align with the state's agricultural needs and avoid potential unrest among farmers. Mann requested the Union government to advance the paddy procurement by 15 days, starting from September 15, to facilitate smooth sales for farmers, ensuring the grain is moisture-free and ready for procurement. The CM also raised several issues related to the FCI, including the need for a meeting of the High-Level Committee regarding the sanctioned 46 LMT of covered storage capacity. He pointed out that while 2.5 LMT had been awarded, further progress on the project was stalled, and relaxation in certain tender terms was pending approval from the FCI. Additionally, Mann sought a one-time refund of storage charges for rice stacks rejected due to higher nutrient levels in fortified rice kernels during the KMS 2022-23. He also flagged a gap of Rs.1,200 crore annually in the cash credit limit due to insufficient reimbursement of procurement incidentals....