Centre stands firmly with Punjab: Union minister Bittu

Kapurthala, Oct 1 (PTI) Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu on Wednesday assured that the Centre stands firmly with Punjab during this challenging time and emphasised that there is no shortage of funds to support flood relief and rehabilitation in the state.

He said already as per the Home Ministry data, the Punjab government is having the state disaster response fund to the tune of Rs 12,589 crore.

Even Rs 805 crore was released to the Punjab government immediately after the Prime Minister visited the flood-hot state and announced Rs 1,600 crore as relief package, he said.

Addressing the media during his visit to village Sarupwal at Sultanpur Lodhi, Bittu said, "Punjab is a border state. Punjabis have always fought for the country and have been the backbone of India's food security.

At a time when the state is facing a severe flood crisis, the union government will leave no stone unturned to help Punjab return to normalcy." He further stated that the Punjab government should submit its flood damage report to the union home ministry.

"The Centre will reconcile its own assessment with the state's report. If the situation demands, additional funds will be sanctioned immediately," he said.

The Union minister distributed flood and relief material to residents of Sarupwala and listened to their concerns.

He outlined the relief efforts being undertaken in the first phase by the BJP in the flood affected areas.

Total 1,209 villages across 39 Vidhan Sabha constituencies, and 14 districts are being assisted, Bittu said, adding that around 300 trucks of relief supplies have already reached 31,000 families.

The second phase will target 1,25,000 families. Medical camps are actively being organized, and medicines are being distributed in all flood-affected areas. Eight warehouses have been established in Jalandhar to serve as distribution hubs for relief materials, he said. PTI COR CHS NB NB