Chandigarh, Aug. 15 -- A war of words broke out between the Punjab government and the Centre on Friday over the pending Rural Development Fund (RDF) amounting to Rs.9,821 crore after Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the state had always received the funds as per rules and assured that Punjab would face no discrimination in their release. The statement drew a sharp response from finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema, who termed Chouhan's statement "highly irresponsible and misleading."

Chouhan, who was in Chandigarh to launch the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, said the Punjab government could approach him with its concerns. "Punjab is the pride of the entire countr...