MANN GOVT TO COMPENSATE EVERY LOSS INCLUDING CROPS, CATTLE AND POULTRY: HARDEEP SINGH MUNDIAN
MINISTER SLAMS OPPOSITION AND CENTRE FOR PLAYING POLITICS AMID HUMAN TRAGEDY
Chandigarh, September 29:
Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian today assured the House that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government will compensate every single loss suffered by flood-affected families, whether related to crops, cattle or poultry.
While participating in the discussion on the “Rehabilitation of Punjab” resolution during the special session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Cabinet Minister stated that lists are being prepared at the ground level and every affected household will be supported without exception.
- Mundian said that Punjab has suffered unprecedented devastation during the recent floods and thousands of villages and lakhs of people were affected, lakhs of acres of agricultural land was submerged and precious lives lost. The state also faced massive destruction of infrastructure including schools, veterinary hospitals, roads and livestock-based enterprises.
The Revenue Minister strongly criticized opposition parties including Congress, BJP and Akali Dal for indulging in political mudslinging even in such a grave crisis. “When people were struggling to save their lives and livelihoods, opposition leaders were busy baking political bread out of tragedy. Such petty politics at the cost of human suffering is most unfortunate,” he said.
He further lambasted the BJP-led Union government for failing to extend meaningful support to Punjab in its hour of crisis. “Instead of helping the flood-hit state, union ministers and visiting teams merely got photographs clicked and returned. This was rubbing salt on the wounds of our people,” he added.
The Cabinet Minister pointed out that the Prime Minister’s token announcement of Rs.1600 crore against losses worth Rs.20,000 crore was a cruel joke on Punjabis. He further revealed that during PM visit, when he urged the Prime Minister to enhance the relief amount, he was mocked with the words “kya aapko Hindi nahi aati.”
“I was shocked beyond words. Instead of understanding Punjab’s pain, the PM insulted our language and Punjabiat. It is evident that he still carries the grudge of farmers’ protest,” said S. Hardeep Singh Mundian.
He also recalled how BJP MLAs and leaders remained silent in front of the Prime Minister and did not have the courage to raise Punjab’s cause. “In fact, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu tried to stop me from speaking by physically holding my hand. Later, BJP and Congress leaders shamelessly claimed they didn’t even know me. If they don’t even know a Punjab Cabinet Minister, they should quit politics altogether,” he said.
Extending details of relief measures, S. Mundian said that Mann government has already started special girdawari from September 13 to assess crop losses, while separate teams are working to evaluate damages to houses and livestock with reports to be submitted to DCs within 30 days. He highlighted that the Mann government has also enhanced compensation rates significantly, crop loss between 26% to 32% will now be compensated at Rs.10,000 per acre, between 33% to 75% also at Rs.10,000 per acre and 76% to 100% loss at Rs.20,000 per acre. Likewise, compensation for damaged houses has been revised upward to Rs.40,000 per unit for both katcha and pucca houses.
On livestock losses, the Cabinet Minister announced enhanced compensation ranging from Rs.37,500 per unit for milch animals such as cows and buffaloes, Rs.32,000 per unit for non-milch animals like horses and bullocks, Rs.20,000 per unit for calves, donkeys and ponies and Rs.100 per poultry bird.
He extended gratitude to Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for his proactive leadership and to AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal for directing party cadres from the first day to rush to affected villages, rescue families and livestock, arrange food, ration and fodder. “From operating boats to supplying essentials, our workers and officials worked as true sevadars,” he added.
