Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 18 (ANI): Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring on Monday wrote a letter to the Governor of Punjab, Banwarilal Purohit, for the release of additional funds from the Central government to compensate the losses caused by the recent floods in the state. “You will be well aware of the torrential downpour in the region that has led to floods in Punjab and its neighbouring states. Floods have thrown life out of gear in Punjab, leaving hundreds of families displaced and devastated,” read the letter addressed to the Governor of Punjab.
The Punjab Congress chief further pointed towards the devastation caused by the flood. “More than 1/3rd of Punjabis have been deprived of necessities, and businesses have come to a standstill. The shops and houses have been damaged, milch cattle have died, and more than 4 lakh hectares of fertile soil have been washed away.” He further reiterated the need for funds from the central government to help the people affected by the flood. “Victims are in dire need of food, first aid, clean drinking water, and financial assistance to put their lives back on track. To help all the victims and meet the following financial requirements, Punjab is in dire need of funds from the Government of India.”
Raja Warring has demanded that crops in about 5 lakh acres have been completely destroyed causing huge loss to the farming community. He demanded that the affected farmers should be given compensation of at least Rs 50,000 thousand per acre. He also sought financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh for those whose houses have been damaged in the flood and Rs 25 lakh per person for the families who lost their sole bread-earner.
Further, he sought financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh to the shopkeepers who have suffered business losses. Warring also asked for Rs 50,000 in compensation for the owner, whose cattle died in this natural Calamity. “Financial assistance is also required to initiate infrastructural repair and reconstruction in the state, including roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, etc. that were damaged in the floods. To carry out all these tasks and bring the people’s lives back on track, Punjab needs the assistance of approximately Rs 10,000 crore from the Centre,” it read.
The Punjab Congress chief went on to show his displeasure over the money allocated to compensate the flood-hit victims and said “GOI has allocated a paltry sum of Rs 218 crore for flood-hit Punjab, which is not at all enough to meet the emergency. Therefore, I humbly request that you use your good office to appeal to the Central Government to release needed money from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), PM Relief Fund, and Contingency Fund of India to compensate the Punjab farmers and to rehabilitate flood-hit victims in the state.”
He added, “The fund is also required to be released immediately to ensure that precious lives are saved and Punjab, being a border state, is brought out of this calamity as early as possible.” The Punjab Congress chief urged the Governor of Punjab “to suggest the Punjab Government hold an emergency session to reprioritize budgetary expenditure for the rest of the year and create a dedicated fund, accountable to the legislature, to mitigate the sufferings of the current floods.” (ANI)
