Will PM Modi Announce a Rs 20,000 Crore Flood Relief Package for Punjab?

Chandigarh, Sep 8 (NationPress) In anticipation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the flood-hit region of Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Aman Arora has called for a declaration of a Rs 20,000 crore relief package during his upcoming visit.

Arora expressed to the media that the people and government of Punjab are ready to welcome the Prime Minister with utmost respect and hope for immediate assistance for the state.

Reiterating the demand for the release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending dues, Minister Arora remarked, “If relief can be sent to the Taliban in Afghanistan, why not to Punjab?” He highlighted that floods have devastated crops across 4.3 lakh acres, with numerous homes either destroyed or extensively damaged.

Just a day prior, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Badal also urged for a Rs 20,000 crore package aimed at flood relief and rehabilitation, along with a complete waiver of farm loans for farmers and ‘khet mazdoor’ to help them recover. Badal emphasized during a media briefing, “The nation owes it to the courageous farmers of Punjab, who led the green revolution, to support them in this challenging time.”

“A Rs 20,000 crore package is essential to compensate farmers for their losses in crops and homes, as well as to rebuild roads and electrical infrastructure destroyed by the floods,” he added.

Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday aims to assess the extensive damage caused by the recent monsoon season. In response to this visit, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar stated that the Prime Minister “is profoundly concerned regarding the flood situation in Punjab and is closely monitoring developments.”

Similarly, Himachal Pradesh's Leader of Opposition and former Chief Minister Jairam Thakur mentioned he would travel to Dharamsala on September 9 to meet with Prime Minister Modi to discuss the damages faced in the state during the monsoon.

The death toll in Punjab during the monsoon has surpassed 350.

LoP Thakur indicated he would inform the Prime Minister about the losses and damages encountered in the areas they have visited.

Punjab BJP chief Jakhar confirmed, “He (Modi) is visiting Punjab on September 9 to personally evaluate the local conditions and grasp the ground realities to provide ample support to the residents of Punjab.”

Previously, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was dispatched to assess the situation in Punjab.

“Two Central government teams that visited to evaluate the flood damage in Punjab are preparing to submit their findings to the central government. The Government of India is firmly committed to standing with the people of Punjab,” Jakhar shared on X.

Reports indicate that the Prime Minister, after casting his vote in the vice-presidential election on September 9 in Delhi, is expected to arrive in Amritsar on Tuesday afternoon, where he will convene a review meeting with state ministers and officials.

Following this, he will proceed to the neighboring hill state of Himachal Pradesh.

The Punjab government has assessed a loss of Rs 13,289 crore due to the floods. This figure was presented to members of two Central inter-ministerial teams currently touring the state for damage assessment.

Punjab Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian reported that 1,996 villages across 22 districts have been affected, impacting a population of 387,013. A total of 22,854 individuals have been rescued, with the highest number of evacuations occurring in Gurdaspur district (5,581), followed by Fazilka (4,202), Ferozepur (3,888), Amritsar (3,260), Hoshiarpur (1,616), Pathankot (1,139), and Kapurthala (1,428).