The Punjab government is still waiting for financial help from the Centre after submitting a memorandum on October 10 seeking assistance for flood damage worth Rs 12,905 crore. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a Rs 1,600-crore relief package on September 10 during his visit to the flood-affected state, but opposition parties and AAP criticized this amount as insufficient. So far, Punjab has received only Rs 240 crore as an advance from the State Disaster Response Fund due in October. Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly sought a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the issue, but no appointment has been given. The BJP denied the allegations, claiming adequate funds were provided. This disagreement adds to the growing tensions between the AAP-ruled state and the BJP-led Union government over various administrative and financial matters.
State Claims Insufficient Relief, Centre Defends Its Position
Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated that the state received only Rs 240 crore, an advance installment from the State Disaster Response Fund that was already due in October. He described the amount as a loan requiring 8% interest payment. Cheema said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann repeatedly requested appointments with the Prime Minister to discuss flood relief but received no response. The BJP rejected these claims, with spokesperson Vineet Joshi saying the Centre provided enough funds and criticized the state government for delays in submitting the memorandum. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria had earlier clarified that the Rs 1,600 crore was token money with more funds to follow, but no additional grants have been released yet.
Detailed Damage Assessment Across Multiple Departments
The memorandum submitted to the Centre outlined damage across 14 departments, with rural infrastructure, agriculture, and roads severely affected. The Rural Development and Panchayat Department reported losses of Rs 3,554 crore, the Revenue Department estimated damages at Rs 2,782 crore, and the Public Works Department sought Rs 1,970 crore for damaged roads and bridges. The Water Resources Department requested Rs 1,520 crore for flood-mitigation measures, while the Education Department reported damage to over 7,200 schools. The Union government has asked Punjab to prepare a separate report on damaged houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. A Centre-appointed team has already toured all districts under the Post Disaster Need Assessment process.
Source: Link