Flood compensation to be given by Nov 30: Dhaliwal

The Punjab Government will distribute flood compensation to all eligible families by November 30. This was stated by Ajnala MLA and former cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal at a compensation letter distribution event held at the SDM Complex here on Tuesday. The event was chaired by SDM Ravinder Singh Arora.

Dhaliwal said the government has fixed a strict deadline to provide relief to those affected by the recent natural disaster and heavy floods. He directed officials and survey teams to ensure that no eligible farmer or family is left out. If any genuine case has been missed in the earlier survey, the complaint should be resolved immediately and compensation must be released before the deadline, he said.

The MLA strongly criticised the Central Government for its step-motherly attitude towards Punjab. He said the state had submitted a demand of over Rs 14,000 crore under national disaster relief norms, but the Centre has not responded. He said the Central Government has not given the approval for changes in procurement rules for damaged or high moisture paddy. Dhaliwal further said the Central Government has not released even Re 1 from the funds it had announced earlier. He criticised the delay in releasing flood protection funds for BSF and Army border posts, which fall directly under the Central Government. “Even the Centre’s own border installations have received no financial support for flood protection works,” he said.

Dhaliwal welcomed Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for strongly raising these issues during the 32nd Northern Zonal Council meeting held yesterday in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Earlier in the day, Dhaliwal distributed approval letters for compensation worth Rs 2.03 crore to 515 flood-hit farmers from villages, including Sarangdev, Terha Rajputan, Fattewal, Sundargarh, Chak Aul, Jagdev Khurd, Balrawal, Awan near Ramdas, Momanpura, Makowal, Jassar, Dhangai, Bhandal, Kallowal, Sultan Mahal, Kotli Barwala and Vadhai Cheema.