PM has time to meet '€˜selected' governor, not elected CM: Mann

Chandigarh, Sep 29 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday lashed out at the Centre, accusing it of imposing an "undeclared president's rule" in the state and targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for meeting a "selected" governor over the flood issue but not giving him time to meet.

Winding up the discussion during a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha here, Mann, without naming anyone, said a central minister who visited Punjab on Saturday claimed that the relief package of Rs 1,600 crore will be given directly to farmers, not to the state government.

"He gave an irresponsible statement. It means you have declared Punjab an undeclared Union territory. You are breaking the federal structure. From where will you get data without the state government?" he asked.

"When we opposed his statement, the minister said he did not say this and said his statement had been twisted," the chief minister said.

Referring to the September 23 meeting between Modi and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria regarding the flood-relief measures, Mann said, "Your governor met the PM, a selected and nominated person, but the PM is not giving time to meet elected representatives.

"It means you have imposed the president's rule in the state," he alleged in the House.

Mann said even during this hour of grave crisis, Union ministers came to the state for "disaster tourism" instead of extending a helping hand to the state government and people.

Even the Rs 1,600 crore announced by the prime minister is a "cruel joke" with the state, he said, adding that it is ironic that Rs 240 crore, the state was to get from the State Disaster Response Force, has been included in it.

Contrary to this, the PM is announcing a huge relief package in the poll-bound states like Bihar, he said.

Punjab opposes this "step-motherly" treatment with the state, Mann said, adding that he will raise these issues with the Union Home Minister on Tuesday.

Taking on Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa, Mann asked him the rationale behind opposing the 'Rangla Punjab Fund' as donations for flood-hit people.

Sharing an anecdote, Mann said during the 1962 India-China war, the people of the country donated gold to the National Defence Fund, and Punjabis contributed a huge quantity of gold in response to the appeal of the then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

He said whenever the nation faces any crisis, people contribute in the same missionary zeal, but now, when Punjab is facing a crisis, such irresponsible statements are being issued.

The CM also said his government would give Rs 7,200 per acre to farmers for desilting of sand, which has accumulated following the recent deluge, from their fields in the flood-affected districts.

Mann also said he will meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday to flag the issue of recent floods that have caused extensive damage in the state.

On compensating farmers for their crop damage, Mann said the state government has decided to enhance the compensation of 26-33 per cent crop loss to Rs 10,000 per acre from existing Rs 2,000 per acre under the State Disaster Response Fund norms, 33-75 per cent crop loss to Rs 10,000 from existing Rs 6,800 per acre and for 75-100 per cent crop loss compensation has been increased to Rs 20,000 per acre again from existing Rs 6,800.

The state government will contribute Rs 14,900 of the Rs 20,000 per acre compensation being given to farmers, which is the highest in the country.

Mann said as the state is facing a severe crisis, healthy criticism that raises shortcomings in the working of the government is welcome.

Besides the Army and the NDRF, Mann also thanked those who rendered selfless social service during floods, adding that workers of various political parties did a remarkable job for rehabilitation.

To have an advanced mechanism for the prediction of the weather, IITs Kharagpur and Bangalore, along with the Thapar University, Patiala, have also been roped in, he said.

Mann said the Thapar University will launch its own satellite for meteorological predictions to avert and minimise loss due to such natural disasters. PTI CHS SKY SKY