Punjab Water Resources Minister Sh. Barinder Kumar Goyal today urged Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi to demonstrate magnanimity in providing assistance to the flood-affected people of Punjab.
Addressing the media here at Punjab Bhawan, Sh. Goyal welcomed the Prime Minister’s scheduled visit to Punjab in the wake of devastating floods. He urged the PM to announce immediate release of at least Rs.25,000 crore as compensation for damages besides clearing pending dues of Rs.60,000 crore without delay. He expressed concern that although the Prime Minister is visiting Punjab nearly 25 days after the calamity, he has so far not spoken a word regarding the state’s plight.
Sh. Goyal informed that preliminary estimates suggest nearly 4 lakh acres of crops have been destroyed. While no breach occurred in embankments maintained by the Water Resources Department, overflowing water caused damage to embankments and other infrastructure. Massive projects will be required for restoration once floodwaters recede, which will need substantial financial support. He further said that the Punjab Mandi Board has suffered huge losses due to damaged roads. Nearly 3,300 school and college buildings have been affected, while thousands of electricity poles collapsed and several transformers submerged. Urgent funds are required for restoration of these facilities, he added.
He pointed out that the Union Government has consistently adopted a step-motherly attitude towards Punjab. While special packages are swiftly announced for other states facing natural disasters, Punjab has been left waiting even for a relief announcement. He highlighted that the Centre rushed relief material to earthquake-hit Afghanistan, yet Punjab continues to wait for meaningful assistance.
The Cabinet Minister remarked that social and charitable organisations across the country are actively helping flood victims in Punjab, while the Union Government is still engaged only in collecting reports despite the tragedy being visible before the world.
He came down heavily on Union Agriculture Minister Sh. Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his recent remarks linking floods with mining, calling the statement “insensitive” and an act of rubbing salt into Punjab’s wounds.
Responding to a query, Sh. Goyal said Punjab currently has around Rs.13,000 crore in the Disaster Management Fund, but the Centre’s rigid conditions prevent the state from utilising it. He urged the Union Government to relax the norms so that people of Punjab can benefit.
Speaking on the Centre’s discriminatory attitude, the Water Resources Minister said that despite the discovery of potash reserves in Punjab’s border belt, no significant action has been taken. In contrast, Rajasthan was immediately granted drilling permissions at 150 locations and auctions were held. In Punjab, drilling was permitted only at nine sites. He reminded that he had raised the issue with the Union Minister months ago, but no action followed.
Sh. Goyal also criticised the Centre for fixing a meagre Rs.8,200 per acre compensation from disaster relief funds for crop damage. He urged the Prime Minister to allow states autonomy in using disaster funds since state governments are better aware of ground realities.