Amid blowback over Punjab flood relief, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria assures: ‘Rs 1,600 crore just a token, more will follow’

“The CM asked me about the briefing by the PM. I told him about the announcement of Rs 1,600 crore. This is just token money. This has been announced to help people out in an emergency. More funds will come after the assessment of the flood situation is over,” Kataria said.

“More money will come…100 per cent…this was just a token. The rest will come after the assessment. There are several areas where water is still logged. The assessment will be completed after it recedes. Modi Sahib assured us that he will not leave any stone unturned to compensate Punjab. The Centre will stand by Punjab,” Kataria reiterated, in response to a question.

PM Modi held a meeting with Kataria, state Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian and Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu on Tuesday, where he assessed the flood damage in the state and the ongoing relief and rehabilitation operation.

Kataria said Modi has assured the state government that it should write to the Centre for whatever equipment is needed to mitigate the distress caused by floods. “The Centre will fund that. He is willing to offer the state several permanent measures that can help,” he added.

Saying that PM Modi was “really positive” in the meeting, Kataria said, “He said the situation in Punjab was worse than Himachal Pradesh. We gave him the report. He had sent the central teams also. Whatever assessment is made, the state will be compensated accordingly. The Centre has a formula to provide relief. The money gets deposited in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Whenever the Centre’s team visits, they review the situation. Reports are taken from deputy commissioners and others.”

Kataria said that PM Modi was worried about Mann’s health. “He asked me two or three times about his health. Then he asked me to visit Mann and update him about it. I just landed, and I came directly from the helipad to the hospital. I am told Mann is doing better. I asked him to stay in the hospital for another day and get discharged only when he is feeling completely alright,” Kataria added.

On Tuesday, the AAP, Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had termed the relief amount of Rs 1,600 crore as “a drop in the ocean”, “crumbs”, and a “cruel joke.”

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