Ahead of PM's visit to flood-hit Punjab, AAP govt seeks Rs 20,000 cr relief package

Punjab cabinet minister Aman Arora on Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to announce a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore for the flood-ravaged state during his visit.

PM Modi will visit Punjab on September 9 to take stock of the flood situation.

"Even though the PM has not uttered a word yet for the flood-hit Punjab, he is our PM and I welcome him with folded hands for his visit.I also expect that he should be seen standing by Punjab during his visit," Arora told reporters here.

Referring to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's recent letter to the PM demanding Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds, Arora said it is Punjab's right and it should be released.

A few days ago, Mann had written to Modi to release Rs 60,000 crore of the state's funds, which he claimed were "stuck" with the government of India while highlighting that Punjab was grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades.

Noting that the prevailing flood situation was even worse than the 1988 deluge, Arora said, "the Centre should announce a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore for Punjab." He stated that over 4.50 lakh acres of crops have been damaged in the floods, besides loss of livestock and damage to houses.

There is going to be a challenge for farmers for growing the next crop as the silt is deposited in the flood-hit fields, Arora, who is also the president of the AAP's Punjab unit, said.

"We welcome your (PM) arrival but you should also announce release of state's Rs 60,000 crore and a relief package of Rs 20,000 crore in the hour of crisis," he said.

Punjab is currently facing one of its worst flood disasters in decades. The floods are a result of swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers along with seasonal rivulets caused by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides, heavy rains in recent days in Punjab also intensified the flooding situation, aggravating the challenges faced by residents.