One by one, the centre is stopping all funds of Punjab, they do not want Punjab to progress and develop: AAP

• The Modi government stopped Punjab's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan fund, they are already withholding NHM and RDF money of Punjab
• BJP is rejected by the people of Punjab, out of frustration they are stopping Punjab's money, but this money is not Modi or Shah's, it belongs to the people: Neel Garg

Chandigarh, June 25, 2024: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab vehemently attacked the BJP government of the centre for stopping Sarva Shiksha abhiyan (SSA) fund of Punjab. The party said that the Modi government is already withholding NHM (National Health Mission) and RDF (Rural Development Fund) of Punjab and now they stopped money which goes to the education of children in Primary schools, the BJP wants to stop the development and progress of Punjab.

Addressing a press conference at the party office on Tuesday, AAP spokesperson Neel Garg cornered the BJP government for having step motherly attitude towards Punjab and urged the Punjab MPs and BJP leaders to raise this issue of pending funds with the central government. He was accompanied by AAP spokespersons Babbi Badal and Jasman Gill for this press conference.

Neel Garg said that it is a matter of the education of young children and their future. The AAP leader said that the step motherly behaviour of the BJP towards Punjab is not new but what is more shameful is that this time they are putting the education of children at stake. Garg said that India has a federal structure and a constitution, through which central and state governments are supposed to work together for the development of the people but the Modi government is doing the opposite, they are creating obstacles and withholding funds of the state government to stop the progress. 

The AAP leader said that the Modi government has stopped Rs. 380 crores of SSA, this money is for the education of young children in Primary schools, their books and the clothes. The centre government was supposed to release this money in four installments to Punjab where the first installment was 170 crores but they are refusing to release this money. Primary Education is the right of every child and for SSA the centre gives 60% and the state contributes the rest 40%, but the Modi government is refusing to give their share for the education of Punjab's children. There are 3929 employees under SSA in Punjab, it will also affect their salaries. 

The AAP spokesperson said that the children of the poor go to government primary and middle schools, so by withholding this fund the Modi government is directly denying the education to the children of the poor. Garg said that the centre has brought a scheme named PM Shri, so they are forcing the Punjab government to close their schools of eminence and implement this scheme. He said that the AAP governments of Delhi and Punjab have done exceptional and unprecedented work in the fields of education and health. Our education model is better and already successful, why will we scrap it off now to implement something new. Garg said that the Mann government of Punjab has already put school of happiness and school of brilliance in their last budget. Garg said that the schools of eminence built by the Mann government already have modern facilities like transportation, wi-fi, smart classes, libraries and sports grounds. 

Neel Garg said that before SSA, the Modi government is already withholding two other major funds of Punjab National Health Mission and RDF (Rural Development Fund). He said that the AAP government has done revolutionary work in the health sector, we have opened 829 Aam Aadmi clinics in Punjab in just two years where 1.5 crore people got free treatment, medicines, tests and diagnosis. But after witnessing the success of our mohalla clinics in Punjab, the central government stopped Rs. 600 crores of NHM. Similarly, the Modi government wants to end the government mandi system in Punjab and they are withholding Rs. 7000 crores of RDF and MDF (Mandi Development Fund). This money is used to maintain 60,000 kilometres of link roads in rural Punjab and mandis. 

The AAP leader urged all the MPs of Punjab to raise this issue strongly with the central government. He also demanded the BJP Punjab President Sunil Jakhar to raise this issue with his top leadership that they should stop discrimination against Punjab. Garg said that the people of Punjab have utterly rejected the BJP, they are frustrated so they are stopping funds of Punjab. Garg said that with the GST, the centre government collects all the money but it is the money of the people and Punjab should get its share regardless of their political preferences. The people of Punjab pay taxes, so the Modi government has no right to stop the money of education, health and development of Punjab.