Chandigarh, July 2 -- / Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Tuesday defended the State Government's plan to borrow Rs 8,500 crore during the second quarter of the 2025-26 fiscal year, asserting that the move is not only necessary to meet mandatory debt redemption obligations but also well within permissible fiscal limits. He dismissed opposition criticism as "short-sighted" and underscored the AAP-led Government's commitment to financial prudence, transparency, and long-term stability. Cheema, addressing media queries in Chandigarh, clarified that the proposed borrowing - Rs 2,000 crore in July, Rs 3,000 crore in August, and Rs 3,500 crore in September - is meant to meet redemption obligations on legacy loans, including over Rs 3...