The Punjab Government has estimated that the floods that have devastated the state over the past three weeks have caused a loss of Rs 13,289 crore. This figure was presented to members of two central inter-ministerial teams that have been touring Punjab since September 4 to assess the damage.
A meeting was held this afternoon between a state delegation, led by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, and the central teams, which were led by Rajesh Gupta from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Santosh Kumar Tiwari from the Ministry of Rural Development.
Punjab is requesting a special relief package from the Centre to compensate people for the extensive losses to their property and farms. The state also seeks funds for the repair of damaged infrastructure, including roads, bridges, culverts, and power transmission lines. An official noted that Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts have reportedly suffered the most significant damage to their crops.
Officials in the state government told The Tribune that the precise extent of the damage will not be known until the floodwaters have receded. "Though the central teams themselves have assessed the ground situation, they are expected to return to the state for a fresh survey of the losses once the floodwater recedes," a top government officer stated.
Also Read: Punjab floods: Rivers overflow, thousands displaced, 37 dead
The demand for financial aid from the Centre has been growing. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said that the least the Centre could do immediately was to release the pending dues of Rs 60,000 crore, which includes Rs 49,727 crore in GST compensation and Rs 8,000 crore in RDF and MDF grants.
"It seems the BJP hates Punjab and its people. We are the 'sword arm' of the country and have been at the forefront of all invasions and wars. Not helping the state in its worst crisis will alienate Punjab and Punjabis," he said.
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Malwinder Singh Kang, the AAP MP from Anandpur Sahib, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reminding him that last year, special assistance was provided to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar through special budgetary allocations. "I hope the BJP-led Centre shows the same benevolence towards Punjab… no such relief has so far reached the state… this disparity pierces through the heart," he wrote.
Meanwhile, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal has rejected Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan’s allegations that illegal mining in riverbeds caused the floods, calling them "baseless." "The floods were caused by the unprecedented rain, which led to a record inflow in rivers, particularly the Ravi. No mining is allowed in the Ravi because of its proximity to the International Border. Mining is allowed only in the Sutlej riverbed, but clearance for that too is given by a central statutory body. The breaches in dhussi bundhs were on account of water overflowing the river banks," he explained.
Also Read: Punjab floods: Death toll rises to 43, crops damaged
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