Chandigarh, September 9:
Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party State President Mr. Aman Arora today expressed his profound disappointment over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “paltry and insulting” relief package of Rs. 1600 crores for a state staring at losses exceeding Rs. 20,000 crores from catastrophic floods. The Prime Minister was visiting the flood-ravaged state, on Tuesday.
Mr. Arora did not mince words, accusing the PM of delivering a “cruel joke” to the people of Punjab instead of the meaningful national response they had hoped for.
“The Prime Minister came, saw, and offered a pittance,” Arora stated. “While our farmers stand amidst the ruins of their lives—their homes, their crops, their livestock washed away—the Centre’s response is not just inadequate, it is a blatant insult. Rs. 1600 crore is a slap in the face of every citizen who has lost everything.”
He said that the Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led Punjab Government has been demanding the immediate release of Rs 60,000 crore in stalled funds for the state’s survival and Rs. 20,000 crore for flood relief package but this token amount makes a mockery of the scale of destruction. It reveals a blatant disregard for the plight of Punjabis.
“The soul of Punjab, our agriculture, has been shattered,” said an emotional Mr. Aman Arora, “The crops our farmers nurtured like their own children have been wiped out just 15-20 days before harvesting. There is no chance of resowing. Our farmers have lost an entire season’s income.” He highlighted that a total of 4.80 lakh acres of agricultural land has been affected and the worst-hit is paddy, with over 3.71 lakh acres completely submerged.
The floods, the worst since 1988, have claimed 52 precious human lives and directly affected nearly 4 lakh people across more than 2000 villages, the scale of destruction demands monumental efforts to rebuild.
He demanded that the Central Government should immediately reassess the damage with a sense of urgency and responsibility, and announce a comprehensive relief package that truly reflects the magnitude of this disaster and the value of Punjab’s contribution to India.
Highlighting the stark contrast between Punjab’s historic contributions and the Centre’s neglect in this hour of need, Mr. Aman Arora said, “from the freedom struggle to feeding the nation, Punjab has always been the nation’s sword and shield. The state’s farmers have ensured India’s food security for decades, and our youth have valiantly guarded its borders. Yet, when our own land is submerged and our people are suffering, the Government of India’s response is just dismissive.”
