Special package sought for Punjab's border area residents hit by floods, Operation Sindoor

The state government has demanded a special package from the Centre for border area residents post Operation Sindoor followed by flood fury.

After touring flood-hit areas during the past two days, Health Minister Balbir Singh said eight districts of Punjab were affected with the deluge.

The flood-hit border area residents have been facing a shortage of ration and green fodder. The minister strongly condemned the Centre’s alleged plan to stop ration supplies and remove the names of over 3.2 million beneficiaries in the state under the National Food Security Act on the pretext of eKYC and other reasons. He added that Punjabis, who had long filled the nation’s food reserves, were themselves reeling under the devastation caused by floods.

Balbir Singh said the border area residents had earlier suffered due to Operation Sindoor and floods virtually ruined them now. The minster assured farmers that he would take up the issue of ownership of provincial government land, which was under their possession for several years but without ownership right, with the CM and the Centre.