Union Minister of Agriculture, Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan will visit the flood-affected areas of Punjab on Thursday to assess the situation. On Wednesday, held detailed discussions with the Governor and the chief minister of Punjabover the phone, an official release issued here said.
It is said after his arrival in Amritsar tomorrow morning, the minister will head straight to meet the flood-affected farmers. After interacting with the farmers, he will hold a high-level meeting with officials to discuss in detail the current situation and chalk out measures to extend assistance to farmers.
Last week, the Union minister chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi, where he expressed concern over the flood situation in several areas of Punjab and the subsequent damage to crops. He had announced that he would personally visit Punjab to review the situation.
Chouhan assured that farmers of Punjab need not worry as the Central government stands with them in this difficult time. “I will reach Punjab tomorrow morning and meet my brothers and sisters in the flood-affected areas. In this hour of crisis, the Central Government stands firmly with the people of Punjab and will provide all possible assistance,” he said in a social media post.
“Today, I discussed the flood situation arising due to heavy rainfall in Punjab with the Honorable Governor of Punjab, Chief Minister Ji, and Agriculture Minister Ji, and obtained detailed information,” he said.
Punjab has been reeling under severe flooding as continuous heavy rainfall and the release of excess water from major dams, including Bhakra, have caused rivers to overflow.
The floods have wreaked havoc across at least 12 districts, leaving several people dead and affecting lakhs of residents.
According to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, more than 1,300 villages are under water, and nearly three lakh acres of farmland — mostly paddy fields — have been damaged, just weeks before the harvest season.
Districts such as Patiala, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala, and Sangrur are among the worst hit.
The India Meteorological Department has issued red alerts for several regions, warning that further heavy rainfall may aggravate the situation.
Meanwhile, rescue and relief operations are underway, with the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities working around the clock to evacuate stranded residents and provide relief materials.