Secure special package for the state instead of indulging in photo ops, Aman Arora asks BJP’s Punjab Leadership
Arora also visits flood-affected areas in Ajnala and Ramdas to assess damage caused by floods
Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh/Amritsar-
After visiting the flood-hit areas in Amritsar district, Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora today urged the Central Government to immediately release Rs 60,000 crore stalled funds and also demanded to triple the compensation amount for flood victims in the state.
He, along with PWD Minister Harbhajan Singh ETO and MLA S. Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, was addressing a press conference at Circuit House in Amritsar, on Sunday, following his visit to flood-affected areas in Ajnala and Ramdas.
He assessed the damage caused by the floods and oversaw relief operations carried by district administration. He emphasised the need for immediate action to support the people affected by the floods. He also highlighted the state government's efforts to rescue people, their animals, and belongings, and provide essential supplies like food and medicine. He also attributed the flooding to cloudbursts in hilly areas and stated that a preliminary assessment is underway.
Highlighting the dire situation, Mr. Aman Arora stated that approximately 3 lakh acres of farmland, mainly paddy fields, are still submerged under floodwater, resulting in massive crop losses just weeks before harvest. Furthermore, widespread loss of livestock is severely affecting rural households that rely heavily on dairy and animal husbandry for their livelihood.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central Government, Aman Arora accused the union government of step-motherly treatment towards Punjab. He emphasised that the Centre must take responsibility for Punjab's plight and provide immediate assistance. He highlighted that the Centre Government has scrapped Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) projects worth Rs. 828 crore in Punjab, which would adversely impacted state’s rural connectivity in long-run.
He noted that the CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has already written to PM Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and release funds to support the flood-affected families.
Aman Arora shared that the current compensation for flood victims is inadequate, citing Rs 6,800 per acre for crop damage, paying such a petty amount would be a cruel joke with the “Annadata”, Rs 1.20 lakh for damaged houses and Rs 4 lakh in case of death. He demanded that at-least Rs 50,000 per acre should be paid to the farmers and the compensation for other losses should also be hiked to ensure sufficient relief to affected families.
Arora pointed out that Punjab has suffered significant revenue losses of approximately Rs 50,000 crore over the past years due to implementation of the GST regime and Rs. 8,000 crore has been withheld in Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF). Despite these facts, the Central Government has not provided any compensation or special package for the state, he added.
Aman Arora urged the BJP leadership in Punjab to prioritise securing a special package for the state instead of indulging in photo ops in flood-affected areas. "It's time for the Central Government to take concrete steps to support Punjab in this hour of need," he stressed.