"If Mamata (Banerjee) gets a moratorium from the Centre, Punjab may also get the same because it along with Kerala is a debt-stressed state," he told a rural development conference here.
"Mamta ki Saflata mein aapka bhee bhala hai (Punjab will also be benefited if Mamata succeeds in getting a moratorium from the Centre)," the Rural Development Minister said.
He was responding to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's query regarding Mamata who had asked the Centre for a three-year moratorium on loan payment and had even met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this regard.
Punjab too has sought a moratorium on payment of small saving borrowings of Rs 22,000 crore for five years to ease the state's fiscal situation.
The 13th Finance Commission had declared three states -- Punjab, West Bengal and Kerala -- as debt-stressed with their fiscal position turning into bad shape.
On oft-repeated allegation that Punjab was meted out step-motherly treatment by the Centre, Ramesh said when he was the Environment Minister, the state was sanctioned Rs 500 crore for cleaning its rivers under the National River Conservation Programme.
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On the demand for a special package for the state, he said Punjab had a special status as it was a leading foodgrain producer.
The Minister said he was of the view that if the state had to bear financial burden due to militancy, the Centre should help it.