Centre ignoring Punjab, PM hasn't uttered a single word on floods: Harpal Singh Cheema

Chandigarh, Sep 1 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday alleged that the Centre is "completely ignoring" the devastation caused by floods in the state and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not uttered a single word about the disaster.

The minister of the ruling AAP also condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah for not providing any assurance of releasing the state's pending funds of Rs 60,000 crore or a relief package in response to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's letter.

Shah on Monday spoke to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Mann to take stock of the flood situation in the state.

Cheema said his excise and taxation department gave a cheque of Rs 50 lakh as a contribution to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help the flood victims.

While the Punjab government, its departments and the people of the state are collectively dealing with this natural disaster, the BJP-led central government is "completely ignoring" the state, the finance minister claimed.

The prime minister, who even posts birthday wishes on X, has not "uttered a single word" about the natural disaster affecting Punjab, Cheema said.

He also criticised Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu for being busy with a political rally in Samrala, Ludhiana, instead of urging the central leadership to act.

"The leaders of the Punjab BJP should be ashamed of this attitude," he said.

Showing the letter written by Mann to the PM, Cheema said it gave details about Rs 60,000 crore of funds owed to the state by the Centre for GST compensation and under the rural development fund, mandi development fund, and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

He said Mann also sought amendments to the norms for providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to ensure adequate compensation for the flood victims.

While Shah spoke to the CM over the phone, Cheema said, no assurance was given regarding the release of the pending funds or providing aid to the flood victims.

Recalling Punjab's valour during wars in 1962, 1965, 1971, and during the conflict with Pakistan earlier this year, Cheema said the state's border regions bore the brunt of attacks and yet Punjabis responded with unwavering courage.

He expressed disappointment that the Union government "now appears to be turning a blind eye" to Punjab's suffering.

Cheema said Punjab's floods this year are the worst in nearly four decades and have ravaged large parts of the state, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, and Jalandhar.

Floods in Punjab have been caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. PTI CHS DIV DIV