85 sites identified for desilting rivers to prevent future flooding

Punjab Soil and Water Conservation Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal announced that the state government has identified 85 sites for river desilting to prevent future flooding for which the approval has already been granted.

Goyal while distributing relief cheques to flood victims of Rajasansi here today, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to provide seeds and fertilisers to affected families for restoring agricultural activities.

He asserted that the government created history by distributing the highest-ever flood relief compensation within 30 days, well before the Diwali deadline.

Goyal distributed Rs 24 lakh among 28 affected families of the Ajnala constituency and Rs 18.41 lakh among 23 families of the Rajasansi constituency. He said the Bhagwant Mann-led government has set a new benchmark in delivering timely aid to the flood-hit people. He stated that on October 13, the Chief Minister launched a state-wide compensation drive in the Ajnala constituency by disbursing Rs 5.70 crore among 631 families.

He highlighted that unlike past regimes that handed out meagre amounts of Rs 50 or Rs 75 after long delays, the Mann government ensured direct and dignified assistance within record time.

Taking a dig at the Centre, he remarked that while it had announced Rs 1,600 crore for Punjab, not a single rupee has been released so far, adding that Punjab’s farmers have always filled the nation’s food reserves and deserve rightful support during crises.

MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal informed that the relief distribution in the Ajnala constituency covered flood-affected families of villages including Kotli Jameet Singh and Dadra. He assured that compensation will be credited directly into the accounts of all affected individuals as soon as the surveys are completed.

AAP’s Rajasansi constituency in-charge Sonia Mann thanked the Goyal for disbursing relief to 23 individuals of Manjh village and informed that the funds had already reached their accounts even before the official sanction letters were handed over.

Among others who were present in the meeting included Additional Deputy Commissioner Paramjit Kaur, Ajnala SDM Ravinder Singh Arora, Lopoke SDM Sanjeev Sharma, Tehsildar Kanwaldeep Singh and Executive Officer Aman Chopra.