PM yet to respond to CM Mann's letter seeking Rs 60,000 Cr: Punjab minister Cheema

Chandigarh, Sep 6 (PTI) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, alleging that he is yet to respond to the AAP government's demand for releasing the state's "pending" Rs 60,000 crore with the Centre.

Cheema alleged that the BJP-led Centre has "utterly failed" Punjab in the time of crisis.

Talking to reporters here, he said Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had written to Modi for the release of Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds "stuck" with the Centre.

He claimed the state has suffered a Rs 50,000-crore loss on account of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) implementation and that a payment of Rs 8,000 crore from the Centre's rural development fund is due.

"Till now, the prime minister has not replied to the letter," Cheema said.

He said Union ministers visited the flood-hit state but were only involved in "photo-ops". They "played politics over the bodies", the minister alleged.

"Many people have died in Punjab but the prime minister has not spoken a word," he said.

Cheema pointed out that the Indian government has sent relief material for earthquake-hit people in Afghanistan. "Punjab is also part of the country and it has been at the forefront for making sacrifices," he said while expressing dismay over the fact that no relief package has been announced for the state.

The AAP leader said the Centre claims to be assessing the damage but is yet to request for flood-related data from the state, which Punjab is fully prepared to provide, whereas the final report on the damage can be accessed after the floodwaters recede.

He urged the Centre to release "pending" dues amounting to Rs 60,000 crore.

Earlier, Cheema said whenever there was a flood situation any state, be it Odisha or West Bengal, the Centre provided relief in three to four days.

"Fifteen days have passed since Punjab faced floods and the prime minister has not uttered a word to stand by the people of the state. Whenever the country faced any problem, Punjab was at the forefront. But the BJP is discriminating against Punjab," he alleged.

Providing a grim overview of the state's unprecedented flood crisis, describing it as the worst in five decades, Cheema said relentless rainfall in Punjab and neighbouring hill states has triggered widespread devastation, affecting almost 2,000 villages across all districts and impacting more than four lakh people.

The farm sector, a cornerstone of the state's economy, has suffered extensive damage in 18 districts. Additionally, infrastructure, houses and livestock have sustained significant losses. PTI CHS RC