Punjab being treated unfairly by Centre, says CM Mann at NITI Aayog meet

New Delhi: Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday accused the Central government of treating Punjab like a “stepmother”, calling the approach biased and discriminatory.

Speaking at the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, Mann raised key issues concerning the state and reiterated that Punjab did not have surplus water to share with any other state.

Highlighting the severe water crisis in the region, Mann urged that instead of pursuing the Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal, the Centre should consider constructing the Yamuna-Sutlej-Link (YSL) canal.

He said that the Ravi, Beas and Sutlej rivers were already facing a water deficit and any excess water should be diverted to water-scarce basins.