PM to visit Punjab on Sept 9; Cheema asks why no relief announcement yet

The development comes after Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who visited the flood affected districts Thursday said he will submit a comprehensive report to PM. On Saturday, top Punjab government officials held a meeting with Centre’s disaster committee and sought a relief package of Rs 14,000 crore.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, meanwhile, criticised PM Modi alleging that he is yet to respond to the AAP government’s demand for releasing the state’s “pending” Rs 60,000 crore with the Centre.

Cheema alleged that the BJP-led Centre has “utterly failed” Punjab in the time of crisis. Talking to reporters, he said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had written to Modi for the release of Rs 60,000 crore of the state’s funds “stuck” with the Centre.

He claimed the state has suffered a Rs 50,000-crore loss on account of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation and that a payment of Rs 8,000 crore from the Centre’s rural development fund is due. “Till now, the prime minister has not replied to the letter,” Cheema said.

He said Union ministers visited the flood-hit state but were only involved in “photo-ops”. They “played politics over the bodies”, the minister alleged.

“Many people have died in Punjab but the prime minister has not spoken a word,” he said.

Cheema pointed out that the India has sent relief material for earthquake-hit people in Afghanistan. “Punjab is also part of the country and it has been at the forefront for making sacrifices,” he said, while expressing dismay over the fact that no relief package has been announced for the state.

said the Centre claims to be assessing the damage but is yet to request for flood-related data from the state, which Punjab is fully prepared to provide, whereas the final report on the damage can be accessed after the floodwaters recede. He urged the Centre to release “pending” dues amounting to Rs 60,000 crore.

Cheema also said whenever there was a flood situation any state, be it Odisha or West Bengal, the Centre provided relief in three to four days. “Fifteen days have passed since Punjab faced floods and the prime minister has not uttered a word to stand by the people of the state. Whenever the country faced any problem, Punjab was at the forefront. But the BJP is discriminating against Punjab,” he alleged. Cheema said the farm sector, a cornerstone of the state’s economy, has suffered extensive damage in 18 districts.

From the homepage

Amid India’s push to extradite Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi, UK officials visit Tihar jail to inspect conditions

Gujarat ropeway accident: Six dead after cable wire snaps, probe launched into incident

Kerala’s infant mortality rate lower than US at 5 in 1,000: Health minister