No shortage of flood relief funds, Centre ready to sanction more: Union Minister Ravneet Bittu

Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, reaffirmed the Union Government’s unwavering support for Punjab during the ongoing flood crisis. He emphasised that there is no shortage of flood relief funds from the Centre, citing the Punjab Government’s available State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) of Rs 12,589 crore. Additionally, Rs 805 crore was released to the state government immediately after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a Rs 1,600 crore initial relief package.

He said the state government should submit its flood damage report to the Union Home Ministry. The Centre will reconcile its own assessment with the state’s report. If the situation demands, additional funds will be sanctioned immediately.

Addressing the media at Sarupwal village in Sultanpur Lodhi, Bittu said, “Mann Sahib had said with Rs 1,600 crore given by the Centre, each village gets Rs 80 lakh. But if we factor in the SDRF fund of over Rs 12,000 crore, then how much will it be? Thousands of crores should come to villages. There should be no dearth. From the Centre, the Home Ministry team carried out assessments, and Union Minister Shivraj Chauhan also brought teams from different ministries for assessments. But they did not receive any assessment report from the state government.”

Bittu added, “Punjab is a border state. Punjabis have always fought for the country and have been the backbone of India’s food security. The Union Government will leave no stone unturned to help Punjab return to normalcy.”

Bittu distributed flood relief material to residents of Sarupwala in sacks bearing the slogan “Bhajpa Punjab de naal” accompanied with the Prime Minister’s picture. He also interacted with villagers.

Outlining relief efforts by BJP, he said, “The BJP leadership has covered a total of 1,209 villages across 39 Vidhan Sabha constituencies, 105 mandals, and 14 districts have been assisted in the first phase. Three hundred trucks of relief supplies have already reached 31,000 families. Eight warehouses have been established in Jalandhar as distribution hubs for relief. The second phase of relief will target 1,25,000 families. Tractors will also be sent to all districts. Medical camps are already being organised, and medicines being distributed.”

He added, “We are not here to indulge in political blame games. Our priority must be to rebuild and restore. Political debates will continue.”

The minister was also handed a memorandum of demands by Sarupwal villagers. Accompanied by senior BJP leaders Som Parkash, KD Bhandari and Ranjit Singh Khojewal, among others, he also paid obeisance at Gurudwara Ber Sahib in Sultanpur Lodhi.