Punjab Leads Nation with ₹20,000 per Acre Flood Relief; Central Aid Still Awaited — Dr. Balbir Singh”
Ghanaur News: Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Balbir Singh on Wednesday said that the Central Government should not discriminate against flood-affected Punjab in this hour of distress. The Minister was addressing a gathering in Ghanaur after distributing ₹88 lakh compensation to 232 farmers from the flood-hit villages of Saunta, Sheikhpur Dakheli Lohsimbli, and Samaspur, accompanied by MLA Gurlal Ghanaur and Deputy Commissioner Dr. Preeti Yadav.
Dr. Balbir Singh said the floods that struck Punjab this year were among the worst natural disasters of the century, devastating thousands of acres of farmland. He lauded Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for proving that the government stands firmly with its people by ensuring that compensation cheques reached victims within just 30 days, even before Diwali. He added that the state has adopted the “Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret” policy to support affected farmers. Free wheat seeds and health check-ups have been arranged in the impacted villages, along with special vaccination drives for livestock.
The Health Minister expressed regret that instead of helping Punjab in this critical period, the Central Government is deliberately delaying the state’s legitimate demands. He said the state had requested ₹50,000 per acre compensation from the Centre, but no response has been received. “Despite this, the Punjab Government is providing ₹15,000 per acre out of the ₹20,000 compensation from its own funds,” he said. For fully damaged houses, ₹1.20 lakh is being given, and ₹40,000 for partially damaged houses-a significant increase from the earlier compensation of merely ₹6,500 given during previous governments.
Dr. Balbir Singh further informed that all rivers and rivulets-including the Sutlej, Beas, Ghaggar, Tangri, and Markanda-which carry excess water from Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, and Chandigarh into Punjab, will be deepened and widened before the next monsoon to prevent future flooding. He added that in Patiala district alone, crops spread over more than 19,000 acres across 141 villages have been destroyed.
Commending the resilience of Punjabis, Dr. Balbir Singh said that while the disaster was severe, the spirit of the people remained stronger. “Under Mission Chardi Kala, philanthropists from across the world are coming forward through the ‘Rangla Punjab’ portal to support flood victims,” he said.
MLA Gurlal Ghanaur thanked Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann and Dr. Balbir Singh for their swift action and said that farmers receiving ₹20,000 per acre compensation marks a historic first in the country. He informed that farmers of Saunta village received ₹13.80 lakh, Sheikhpur Dakheli Lohsimbli ₹13.72 lakh, and Samaspur ₹60 lakh in compensation.
The event was also attended by SDM Avikesh Gupta, Tehsildar Pradeep Kumar, and local residents from the affected villages.
