Ahead of PM’s visit today, Punjab govt seeks relief package

Mann (51), who remains admitted to a hospital where he is under treatment for exhaustion and low heart rate since September 5, said, “The Hon’ble Prime Minister is visiting Punjab, and I welcome him. I am unwell, otherwise I would have personally taken him to visit all the flood-affected areas. I hope that Prime Minister Ji will leave after announcing some good package or declaration to provide relief to Punjab and Punjabis for the damage caused by this natural disaster”.

In Mann’s abscence, Cabinet Minister Aman Arora will recieve PM.

Punjab is currently facing one of its worst flood disasters in decades with a daily bulletin putting the number of human casualties at 51 while crops on 1.76 lakh hectares have been damaged.

During his visit, PM Modi will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas. He will visit Gurdaspur and hold discussions with senior officials and chair a review meeting on the ground situation. He will also interact with flood-affected persons as well as NDRF, SDRF and Aapda Mitra Team in Gurdaspur.

Earlier in the day, Punjab Cabinet ministers Aman Arora, Barinder Kumar Goyal and Dr Balbir Singh, holding back-to-back press conferences, starting at 9 am, demanded demanded that the central government should release Rs 60,000 crore of the state’s funds apart from a Rs 20,000 crore relief package.

A few days ago, Mann had written to Modi to release Rs 60,000 crore of the state’s funds, which he claimed were “stuck” with the government of India while highlighting that the state was grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades.

Accusing the Centre of meting out step-motherly treatment towards Punjab, Arora questioned the silence of Punjab’s BJP leaders during the crisis, suggesting they should focus on securing a special package for the state instead of just indulging in “photo ops” like Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. “PM should announce a special assistance of Rs 20,000 crore. He should not come like Chouhan, who entered waters for photo ops instead of announcing any package for the state,” said Arora, who is also the AAP state president.

Arora said the Union Government should pay Rs 50,000 crore towards pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) compensation, Rs 8,000 crore towards pending Rural Development Fund (RDF), Rs 1,000 crore as a Central grant withdrawal towards the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, and a special assistance of Rs 20,000 crore.

Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal also took a swipe at the Centre. “We are not doing any politics. We are only serving the people. It is the BJP that indulges in politics. Did PM Modi send Chouhan to the state to check illegal mining?” he asked, in an apparent reference to Chouhan’s statement where he partially blamed illegal mining for the floods.

Punjab, in a meeting with central committee last week, had submitted a report detailing losses worth Rs 13,289 crore due to floods. Goyal said they prepared that detail considering the immediate damage to crops, property, cattle, and infrastructure. “What will happen after the water recedes. The exact damage will be ascertained after that. Where will we get that money from?” he asked.

He said Rs 12,000 crore worth of funds were lying in the disaster management fund, but the Centre was not allowing the state to spend it. “They cite rules for spending the fund. What will we do with the funds if these are not available for spending?.”

Addressing the third presser, Punjab Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said, “The Prime Minister should give money for rebuilding the state. People are seeking employment. He should allow enhancement of wages to MGNREGA workers, and more days of employment. They should be allowed to be engaged in repairing damaged houses and the silt accumulated in the fields,” he said.

The health minister also asked PM Modi to give money for “bundhs” (embankments)

Meanwhile, Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar said flood-hit farmers could have been easily provided compensation through the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana had the AAP government implemented the Central scheme by paying its share of the premium.

He alleged that instead of paying the premium, the Bhagwant Mann government prioritised “publicity” by spending state funds.

In a statement, Jakhar said the PMFBY, which provides cover for losses caused by natural calamities, pests, or diseases, was launched in 2016. The Union government later made changes to the scheme by accepting suggestions from states, he said, adding that all states implemented it, barring the Punjab government, which “feared the credit might go to the BJP-led Centre”.

“As a result, thousands of Punjab farmers are deprived of its benefits today,” he said.

Jakhar said the Punjab government had announced to implement the scheme in November 2022, but backed out due to its “narrow” political interests. In March 2023, the government again backed out from implementing this scheme in Punjab, because instead of paying the premium, greater priority was given to “publicity”, the BJP leader alleged.