Punjab trims flood damage demand by Rs 384 cr, revises figure to Rs 12,905 cr

The Rural Development and Panchayat Department has reported a damage of Rs 3,554 crore, down significantly from the earlier Rs 5,043 crore. The Revenue Department, grappling with crop losses, degraded farmland, and destroyed homes, has raised its demand to Rs 2,782 crore from Rs 1,858 crore.

The education sector has reported damage to 7,213 schools, 153 block primary offices, and 19 colleges and has sought Rs 547 crore, marginally up from the earlier Rs 542 crore, for partial and complete structural damage. The Health Department, battling wrecked dispensaries, hospitals, and equipment, has sought Rs 780 crore. The Animal Husbandry Department has claimed that 1,371 buffaloes and milch cows, 1.75 lakh poultry, and other livestock perished. It has sought Rs 129 crore.

The Public Works Department (PWD) has demanded Rs 1970 crore to restore 4,657.83 km of roads and bridges. It stated that planned roads suffered the highest loss, followed by Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna, link roads and national highways. The Mandi Board has sought Rs 1022 crore for rural-link roads.

While the Water Resources Department, citing climate change-driven damage to canals and rivers, has sought Rs 1,520 crore for long-term flood mitigation, the Agriculture Department has upped its claim to Rs 367 crore from Rs 317 crore for desilting, field restoration under RKVY, procurement and distribution of seeds.

The Food and Supplies Department has claimed Rs 7 crore for damaged warehouses, the Power Department has sought Rs 139 crore for hydel projects and electrical infrastructure, the Local Bodies Department has demanded Rs 77 crore, and the Forest Department has Rs 4 crore for losses in forest plantations.

Punjab has already received Rs 480 crore (Rs 240 crore in two instalments) under the State Disaster Response fund. While Mann had said that Shah had told him that Rs 1600 crore, announced by the PM, was a token and more funds would follow, later, a communique by the Centre raised the issue of Rs 12,000 crore lying in SDRF.

An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was constituted on September 1, without waiting for the receipt of memorandum from Punjab. The Central Team visited the affected areas for on-the-spot assessment of damages in the state from September 3 to 6. However, the state government is yet to submit a detailed memorandum. After receipt of the memorandum, the same will be considered by the Central Government as per the Government of India approved norms.

After the communique, the government had now asked the department of disaster management to prepare a reply to the points raised by the Centre. As per the presentation given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state had sought Rs 12,289 crore. It had sought a crop loss compensation to the tune of Rs 1858 crore. The government had stated that crop on 4 lakh acres have been completely damaged.

The damages to water resources department was pegged at worth Rs 1520 crore. The department of rural development and panchayats had suffered losses to the tune of Rs 5043 crore. The floods have cost the department of health Rs 780 crore. Punjab Mandi Board, responsible for upkeep and maintenance of mandis (grain markets) across the state, link roads and other infrastructure had pegged damage worth Rs 1022 crore. The department of Public Works (PWD), responsible for roads and bridges has pegged its loss to the tune of Rs 1970 crore.

Similarly, the Agriculture Department had also claimed a loss of Rs 317 crore. The department of education had stated that its infrastructure including schools had been damaged in the flood fury seeking Rs 542 crore. The compensation claimed by the department of power was at Rs 103 crore.