India, May 24 -- Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday asked the Union government to share the Reserve Bank of India's record surplus transfer with states, saying such receipts should be viewed through the principles of cooperative federalism and fiscal fairness.

In a statement issued in Chandigarh on May 23, Cheema raised concerns over the transfer of nearly Rs.2.87 lakh crore from the RBI to the Centre for the accounting year 2025-26. He said the amount was among the highest surplus transfers made by the central bank and called for a wider discussion on how such gains are used at a time when states are also dealing with fiscal pressures.

Cheema said the transfer raised three key questions, including whether extraordina...