BJP leader questions Punjab govt's demand for Rs 20,000 Cr relief package

Chandigarh, Sep 10 (PTI) Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday questioned the AAP government's demand for a relief package of Rs 20,000 crore for the flood-hit state, saying state authorities themselves have claimed that the floods have caused damage worth Rs 13,000 crore.

Addressing the media here, Jakhar said the chief secretary has spoken about damage worth Rs 13,089 crore caused by the floods, while state ministers are demanding a Rs 20,000 crore relief package.

"There is no account of Rs 7,000 crore. It shows the non-serious attitude of the AAP government," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore for Punjab on Tuesday, after he reviewed the flood situation in the state, which was battling its worst deluge since 1988.

Modi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the seriously injured in the floods.

The prime minister was on a daylong visit to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday to review the flood situation in the two states.

After conducting an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas, Modi held a review meeting in Gurdaspur that was also attended by Punjab Chief Secretary K A P Sinha.

Ahead of the prime minister's visit, the AAP government had demanded a central relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore for Punjab.

Jakhar said the state government has demanded Rs 5,043 crore for rural development and Rs 1,022 crore for the Punjab Mandi board.

"In the last three-and-a-half years, the Mandi Board has constructed and repaired roads with an outlay of Rs 500 crore in 13,500 villages. But for 2,000 flood-hit villages, it is demanding Rs 1,000 crore," he said, raising questions over the claim.

As far as rural development is concerned, the BJP leader said the state government had earmarked Rs 1,600 crore in 2023-23, while it spent Rs 1,156 crore. In 2023-24, the government provided for Rs 1,400 crore and spent Rs 778 crore in all villages of the state.

"Now, for 2,000 villages, the government is seeking Rs 5,000 crore," he said.

Jakhar further pointed out that in August, the state government wrote about raising Rs 800 crore for repairing 8,000 km of rural roads in the state. "But the Mandi Board is demanding Rs 1,000 crore. Is it a joke?" he asked.

Punjab is facing one of its worst floods in decades. The floods are a result of swollen rivers, such as the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, along with seasonal rivulets, following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides, heavy rains in Punjab in recent days have also aggravated the situation.

The death toll due to the devastating floods in Punjab stands at 52, while crops on 1.91 lakh hectares of land have been damaged. A total of 2,097 villages across 22 districts have been affected by the floods. PTI CHS RC