Punjab session to take up enhanced relief for flood-hit farmers; likely to be stormy

The special session of the Punjab Assembly, beginning September 26, is likely to be a stormy affair, with the ruling AAP and the Opposition preparing for a face-off. On the agenda is discussion on enhanced compensation for flood-hit farmers.

While AAP is set to take on the Congress, BJP and the SAD for not helping the state during the recent floods, while the Opposition is ready to corner the government over its “lackadaisical relief efforts”.

Convened to discuss ways and means to rebuild Punjab, the four-day session will begin on Friday with obituary references. Alongside some legislative business on Friday and Monday, sharp political sparring between the Treasury and Opposition benches is expected. Several administrative reports will also be tabled on the opening day.

Though the state government cannot alter norms for use of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), it is expected to discuss the process to provide enhanced compensation to flood-hit farmers — adding Rs 13,200 per acre from state resources to the Rs 6,800 per acre allowed under the SDRF norms by the Centre. The House is also likely to discuss amendments to the Minor Mineral Rules, which gave legal backing to the “Jisda Khet Usdi Ret” scheme, enabling farmers to mine and sell sand deposited in their fields without paying royalty to the state.

The Opposition, mainly the Congress and BJP, is preparing to target the government over the “missing Rs 12,000 crore SDRF” and administrative lapses related to the discharge of water from the Ranjit Sagar Dam on August 26, which led to the collapse of three gates at Madhopur barrage and flooding of large swathes in Gurdaspur and Pathankot. Issues of illegal mining weakening embankments, poor desilting of rivers and neglect of dhussi bundhs are also expected to figure prominently.

Questions are also expected about the Rangla Punjab Vikas Fund, which is not subject to auditors’ scrutiny. Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa told The Tribune that he would seek answers on why a parallel fund was needed when a CM Relief Fund already existed. “We want to know what happened to the SDRF money. The PM has said the state has Rs 12,000 crore, as validated by the CAG report, yet ministers give varying figures. The truth must come out,” he said.

Sources say that once the discussion on “rehabilitation of Punjab” begins, the ruling party will be fielding its MLAs and ministers, who have remained on the forefront of relief operations, to speak on the damage, rescue and relief work and steps initiated to rebuild the damaged infrastructure.

AAP’s primary target will be the BJP as it accuses the saffron party-led Centre of releasing too little assistance. Against the reported losses of Rs 13,800 crore, the state has so far received only Rs 1,600 crore from the Centre. The AAP government is also expected to criticise the Congress for being “invisible” during the floods and the Akali Dal for allegedly distributing cash with the SGPC help.

The state government, the sources say, will also remind the Opposition of its “failure” to desilt the Madhopur barrage during its tenure, while showcasing its own success in controlling floods in the Ghaggar this year.