Punjab floods: AAP govt to convene special Assembly session from Sep 26-29

Chandigarh, Sep 18 (PTI) Punjab government will convene a special session of the state assembly from September 26 to 29, which will focus on introducing "people-oriented" amendments to rules related to damage caused by the recent floods, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said on Thursday.

In a statement here, Mann said new laws concerning compensation for flood victims will also be introduced and approved during the session.

Highlighting the scale of destruction, Mann said the floods have submerged over 2,300 villages, affected more than 2 million people, and destroyed crops across five lakh acres of land.

A total of 57 lives have been lost, and around seven lakh people have been rendered homeless, he said.

He noted that 3,200 government schools, 19 colleges, 1,400 clinics and hospitals, and 8,500 km of roads were destroyed, while 2,500 bridges collapsed.

Mann said as per initial estimates, the total damage amounts to approximately Rs 13,800 crore, though the actual figure could be higher.

He emphasised that the decisions taken during this special session will provide substantial relief to flood-affected citizens.

Mann reiterated his government's "unwavering" commitment to supporting the people of Punjab, especially those impacted by the floods, during this time of severe crisis.

Mann added that the state government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure relief, rehabilitation, and recovery for the affected population.

Punjab faced one of its worst flood disasters in decades, primarily due to the swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal rivulets resulting from heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy rains further exacerbated the flooding situation.

The worst-affected districts were Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, Fazilka and Tarn Taran.

Mann had earlier urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to release Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds "stuck" with the central government.

He also sought revision in the norms for funds available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), saying the existing norms prescribed under the guidelines of the Ministry of Home Affairs remain grossly inadequate to compensate farmers, livestock owners, and vulnerable communities for the scale of their losses.

Modi, during his recent visit to Punjab, had announced financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore. PTI CHS RHL