Centre’s Rs 1,600 cr financial aid for flood-ravaged Punjab ‘miserably meagre’: Cheema

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Wednesday called the financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the flood-hit state “miserably meagre”.

Besides the Rs 1,600 crore aid, the prime minister, who conducted an aerial survey of the devastation caused by the worst deluge in the state since 1988, also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured.

After conducting an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas, PM Modi held a review meeting in Gurdaspur.

Addressing the media here, Cheema claimed that Cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian, who was part of the meeting chaired by Modi to review the flood situation in Gurdaspur, had told the PM that Rs 1,600 crore was a “meagre” amount and had demanded Rs 20,000 crore as an interim relief for the state.

“Then the PM told him (Mundian) ‘kya aapko Hindi samajh nahin aati. Aapko samajh nahin aata, ke Rs 1,600 crore de diya (Do you not understand Hindi? Do you not understand that Rs 1,600 crore has been given),” Cheema alleged.

“It means the PM insulted our mother language Punjabi, people of Punjab and Punjabiyat,” he charged.

Taking a swipe at the PM, Cheema said Modi visited Punjab almost 30 days after the floods struck the state.

He alleged that during his visit, Modi did not bother to hold hands of the affected people who lost their family members, people whose crops and houses were damaged.

“He announced a meagre amount of Rs 1,600 crore. It is like ‘Oont ke mooh mein jeera’,” said Cheema.

He did not wipe out the tears of those who lost their dear ones in the floods, alleged Cheema.

The finance minister further alleged that during his day-long visit, the PM “ignored” Punjab’s elected government and “preferred” to meet the “BJP people” in Gurdaspur.

He also said the floods caused extensive damage in Punjab. “Floodwaters inundated fields. Four to five feet of sand accumulated in the agricultural fields.”