Punjab Minister seeks release of Rs 600 crore stalled funds, 3-fold hike in flood compensation

Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party State President Aman Arora has urged the Central Government to immediately release Rs 60,000 crore of stalled funds and also demanded that the compensation amount for flood victims in the state be tripled.

He assessed the damage caused by the floods and oversaw relief operations carried out by the district administration. He emphasised the need for immediate action to support the people affected by the floods.

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Arora also highlighted the state government’s efforts to rescue people, their animals, and belongings, and provide essential supplies like food and medicine. He also attributed the flooding to cloudbursts in hilly areas and stated that a preliminary assessment is underway.

Highlighting the dire situation, Aman Arora stated that approximately 3 lakh acres of farmland, mainly paddy fields, are still submerged under floodwater, resulting in massive crop losses just weeks before harvest.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central Government, Aman Arora accused the Centre of step-motherly treatment towards Punjab. He emphasised that the Centre must take responsibility for Punjab’s plight and provide immediate assistance.

He highlighted that the Centre Government has scrapped Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) projects worth Rs 828 crore in Punjab, which would adversely impact the state’s rural connectivity in the long run.

He noted that the Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and release funds to support the flood-affected families.

Arora shared that the current compensation for flood victims is inadequate, citing Rs 6,800 per acre for crop damage would be a cruel joke with the ‘Annadata’ Rs 1.20 lakh for damaged houses and Rs 4 lakh in case of death.

Arora pointed out that Punjab has suffered significant revenue losses of approximately Rs 50,000 crore over the past years due to the implementation of the GST regime, and Rs 8,000 crore has been withheld in the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF).