Punjab floods: CM Bhagwant Mann writes to PM Modi, seeks release of Rs 60,000 cr pending funds

Punjab is facing a serious flood crisis as heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir have caused the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and several seasonal drains to overflow. The situation has badly hit many areas of the state. In view of this, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting urgent help from the Centre.

Situation Worsens in 7 Districts

In his letter, CM Mann wrote that Punjab is currently grappling with a severe flood disaster, which has affected around one thousand villages and lakhs of people. Due to heavy monsoon rains and the release of water from dams, extensive flooding has occurred in seven districts Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Pathankot, Firozpur, Fazilka, and Hoshiarpur. The situation is expected to worsen in the coming days. Currently, nearly three lakh acres of agricultural land, mainly paddy fields, have been submerged in floodwaters, causing heavy damage just weeks before harvest. In addition, there has been widespread loss of livestock, which is affecting the livelihood of rural families.

Demand for Release of Funds from the Centre

CM Mann claimed that funds amounting to Rs 60,000 crore are pending with the Centre, which should be released. He stated that due to the shift from the Goods & Services Tax (GST) and VAT regime, there has been a permanent revenue loss of Rs 49,727 crore, for which the Government of India has provided no compensation. Moreover, due to deductions in the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF), the state has suffered a loss of over Rs 8,000 crore in recent years. In his letter, CM Mann also wrote that the Centre recently cancelled projects worth Rs 828 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in Punjab, which could impact rural connectivity in the state.