Punjab floods: Disbursal of compensation to be completed by Diwali, says CM Mann

Chandigarh, Sep 12 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that disbursal of compensation to the flood-affected people in the state will start within a month, hoping that the entire exercise would be completed before Diwali.

Mann also came down heavily on the opposition, accusing them of doing politics on the issue when Punjab was battling its worst floods in decades.

Given the magnitude of the natural calamity that struck Punjab, Mann said his government stands with the flood-affected people in this difficult hour, adding that he shares their sorrow and stands by them.

The chief minister was addressing a news conference after holding a meeting with the deputy commissioners and senior officials to expedite relief and rescue operations in the wake of the floods in the state, official said.

"We will work on a war footing to provide relief to the affected people," he said.

Mann, who was discharged from a private hospital in Mohali on Thursday where he was admitted due to exhaustion and low heart rate, said at the outset of the presser that he was feeling alright now.

"Back on track," Mann quipped when asked how he was feeling.

The chief minister said he held a meeting with all the deputy commissioners virtually in the presence of several senior government officials.

"Disbursal of compensation to the flood-affected people will start within a month," Mann said, hoping that the entire exercise would be completed by Diwali (October 21).

Mann underlined that it is extremely important that compensation reaches everyone as quickly as possible, adding that being the son of a farmer, he understood the agony of the food growers.

The chief minister also said that he will not sleep peacefully until every affected person receives compensation for crop damage.

He said a special 'Girdawari' (crop damage assessment) should start immediately and the entire process should be completed in over a month.

Officials will go from village to village, inspect the fields, prepare reports and wherever there is damage, compensation will be provided to those affected, he said.

After the reports are finalised, the farmers will be given one week to raise objections, so that any error in them can be rectified, he added.

The chief minister said he will personally monitor the entire process on a daily basis, and strict action will be taken against any official found negligent in doing his work or not working as per the timeline.

On loss of lives, the chief minister said 55 people have died in the floods so far, of which the next of kin of 42 have been provided financial assistance.

According to Mann, Rs 1.2 lakh will be provided to those whose entire house has collapsed, while Rs 40,000 will be given for partial damage.

Earlier governments used to give only Rs 6,800 for partial damage, which has been increased to Rs 40,000 now, he said.

Those whose livestock have been swept away or died in the floods will also be compensated, he said.

If someone has lost a cow or a buffalo, the government will give Rs 37,500, while Rs 4,000 will be given for a goat. All other animals will also be compensated as per the rules, including bulls, horses, poultry, and fish.

Lashing out at the previous regimes, Mann claimed people still remember the time when they were given cheques of Rs 26 or Rs 40 for the damages caused by natural calamities.

Slamming the BJP and Congress, the chief minister alleged that they were putting the blame on the government as if the floods came "because of Bhagwant Mann or the Aam Aadmi Party".

"I condemn the politics being done by the opposition on the flood issue. They want to blame Bhagwant Mann for everything," he said.

He also took on the opposition for targeting the AAP government over Rs 12,000 crore State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

Mann reiterated what Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema told the media on Thursday, claiming that the state received Rs 1,582 crore under the SDRF from the Centre since April 2022.

The chief minister also shared year-wise details of SDRF received from the Centre since 2022.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore for Punjab, in addition to the "Rs 12,000 crore" already in the state's kitty.

When asked about the BJP and other opposition parties referring to the Rs 12,000 crore figures, Mann claimed they are talking about the amounts received during previous regimes.

"Let the opposition come for a TV debate on the whole issue," Mann said.

Referring to Union minister Ravneet Bittu and state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar's presence when Prime Minister Modi met the flood-affected people in Gurdaspur, Mann said, "All those who migrated to BJP from Congress were sitting in front rows, while the real BJP people were sitting at the back." Due to his hospitalisation, Mann could not meet Modi when the latter visited Punjab on Tuesday to review the flood situation.

Mann said he will soon seek time from the prime minister or the home minister (Amit Shah) and apprise them about the huge loss suffered by the state due to the natural calamity with data.

He also said the state government will take up the issue with the Centre to declare Punjab a "severe" natural disaster-affected state so that it receives extra funds to cover the losses.

A message has been sent to the entire country that Punjab knows how to deal with difficult times, Mann claimed.

He also acknowledged that a cross-section of people, including several artistes, NGOs and other bodies, extended a helping hand to the flood-affected people.

People also made contributions towards the chief minister's relief fund, he said, adding that Rs 48 crore has been received which includes contributions from various states such as Haryana, Gujarat and Delhi which gave cheques of Rs 5 crore each. PTI SUN ARI