The North News
Chandigarh, September 8
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal has welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to the state following devastating floods but pressed for urgent financial support. Speaking to reporters at Punjab Bhawan, Goyal demanded the immediate release of at least ₹25,000 crore as compensation for damages, along with clearance of pending dues worth ₹60,000 crore.
The minister said preliminary assessments suggest nearly four lakh acres of crops have been destroyed. While embankments maintained by the Water Resources Department did not breach, he noted that overflowing water damaged embankments and key infrastructure. “Massive restoration projects will be required once floodwaters recede, which will need substantial financial support,” he said.
According to Goyal, the Punjab Mandi Board has reported heavy losses from damaged roads. Nearly 3,300 school and college buildings have been affected, thousands of electricity poles have collapsed, and several transformers submerged. “Urgent funds are required for restoration of these facilities,” he added.
Goyal accused the Union Government of adopting a “step-motherly attitude” towards Punjab, saying other states receive special packages quickly while Punjab is still waiting for relief. He also criticised Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s remarks linking floods to mining, calling them “insensitive” and “an act of rubbing salt into Punjab’s wounds”.
The minister said Punjab currently has around ₹13,000 crore in its Disaster Management Fund but cannot access it because of strict central conditions. He urged the Centre to relax the rules so that relief could reach people faster.
On mineral resources, Goyal alleged discrimination, pointing out that despite the discovery of potash reserves in Punjab’s border belt, drilling permission was granted at only nine sites, compared with 150 in Rajasthan.
He also condemned the central government’s disaster relief rate of ₹8,200 per acre for crop damage as “meagre” and urged the Prime Minister to allow states more autonomy in using disaster funds.
