Chandigarh, Sep 1 (IANS) Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said on Monday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is completely ignoring the devastation caused by floods in Punjab, a state that has always faced the country’s challenges head-on.
He also condemned Union Home Minister Amit Shah for not providing any assurance of releasing the pending funds of Rs 60,000 crore or a relief package in response to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s letter, which had appealed for the release of the due funds.
“What is even more unfortunate is that instead of pressuring their Central government to provide assistance to the state, the Punjab BJP is busy holding political rallies,” the minister told the media here.
Displaying a cheque for Rs 50 lakh of the Excise and Taxation Department for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to aid flood victims, Cheema said, while the Punjab government, its departments, and the people of the state are collectively dealing with this natural disaster, the BJP-led Central government is completely ignoring the state.
He expressed his dismay that while the Prime Minister, who even tweets birthday wishes, has not said a single word about the natural disaster affecting Punjab. He also criticised Punjab BJP leaders, including state President Sunil Jakhar, working President Ashwani Sharma, and Union Minister of State Ravneet Singh Bittu, for being engrossed in political rallies in Samrala instead of urging their central leadership to act.
“The leaders of the Punjab BJP should be ashamed of this attitude,” he said. Showing the letter written by Chief Minister Mann to the Prime Minister, Cheema said it detailed the over Rs 60,000 crore in funds owed to the state from GST compensation, and the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, etc.
He said the Chief Minister had also appealed for amendments to the rules for providing assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to ensure adequate compensation for flood victims. He said that while the Home Minister spoke to the Chief Minister over the phone, no assurance was given regarding the release of the pending funds or providing aid to the flood victims.
Recalling Punjab’s valour during wars in 1962, 1965, 1971, and most recently in 2025, Cheema emphasised that the state’s border regions bore the brunt of attacks during the conflict with Pakistan, yet Punjabis responded with unwavering courage. He expressed disappointment that the Union government “now appears to be turning a blind eye to Punjab’s suffering”. He said the floods, the worst in nearly four decades, have ravaged large parts of the state, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, and Jalandhar.
The Punjab cabinet, Minister Cheema said, is working tirelessly to provide relief and rehabilitation. Responding to media queries, he said 29 people have died and that Deputy Commissioners are assessing the damage. However, he stressed that the immediate priority remains the delivery of relief materials and the continuation of rescue operations. –IANS
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