Faridabad (Haryana), November 17:
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann vehemently reiterated claim over Chandigarh, Panjab University, river waters besides advocating genuine federal structure in the country before the Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the 32ndmeeting of the Northern Zonal Council held here Monday.
Flagging the issues, the Chief Minister said that the Indian Constitution clearly demarcated areas in which the Union and the States have to function to exercise their respective authority. He said that Federalism remains one of the basic pillars of our Constitution but unfortunately, there has been a trend towards centralization of authority during the past 75 years. Bhagwant Singh Mann underlined that the state governments, being at the cutting edge, are in a much better position to understand, address and solve the problems of their people.
Vehemently pleading for handing over Chandigarh to the state of Punjab, the Chief Minister said that after the reorganization of the state Indira Gandhi Agreement of 1970 explicitly stated that “the capital project area of Chandigarh will, as a whole, go to Punjab, which was a clear commitment from the Central Government. He said that the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, signed on July 24th, 1985, between the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sant Harchand Singh Longowal, explicitly reaffirmed that Chandigarh will be transferred to Punjab. However, Bhagwant Singh Mann bemoaned that despite all promises Chandigarh was not transferred to Punjab which has bruised the psyche of every Punjabi.
Raising the issue of maintaining the status quo of the 60:40 ratio in the intake of service personnel from Punjab and Haryana in the functioning of the UT of Chandigarh, the Chief Minister said that it is the need of the hour. He said that it is a matter of grave concern that officers of the IAS and the PCS have been excluded from key positions in the Chandigarh administration. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that posts in departments such as Excise, Education, Finance, and Health are being opened to cadres like the state UT cadre (DANICS), thereby adversely affecting the role of the state of Punjab in the effective functioning of the UT administration.
The Chief Minister said that another linked issue is the posting of Punjab Cadre officers to the post of General Manager FCI (Punjab). He said that considering the consistently highest contribution of the state of Punjab towards the Central pool, the established trend of posting of an IAS officer from Punjab Cadre to the Regional Office of the FCI should not be disturbed by the Government of India. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the post of MD CITCO has been held by an IAS officer of Punjab cadre in the past however, UT state service officers are being posted to this position, which is against the convention laid down in the administration of the UT of Chandigarh based on a 60:40 ratio for intake of personnel from Punjab and Haryana.
In the wake of the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, the Chief Minister said that there is a great opportunity for the resolution of water-related issues concerning the states being represented here. He said that there is a possibility of linking the Chenab river to the rivers Ravi and Beas, over which we already have dams regulating the water flow downstream. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in linking river Chenab with rivers Ravi and Beas, the surplus water inflow could be utilized gainfully by the downstream states, including Punjab, for both power generation and irrigation purposes adding that the extra water will also help the State of Punjab to meet its shortfall of water, particularly in the Border areas.
Raising the issue of Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the Chief Minister forcefully opposed the proposal to appoint a whole-time Member in BBMB from Rajasthan as the board is a body constituted under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, which concerns only the successor states of Punjab and Haryana. He said that Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh are already represented as ex-officio members, and creating additional whole-time posts will only increase expenditure most of which is borne by Punjab without serving any useful purpose. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab has already submitted a panel for appointment of Members and the Government of India should continue with the original arrangement of one Member each from Punjab and Haryana.
The Chief Minister also strongly opposed any proposal to raise the Full Reservoir Levels (FRLs) of Bhakra and Pong dams. After the catastrophic 1988 floods, he said that the FRLs were reduced in the interest of protecting lives and property in Punjab, the only state affected by these floodwaters. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the severe floods of years 2019, 2023 and 2025 have reconfirmed that present FRLs must be maintained.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab suffered massive losses of nearly Rs.13,500 crore last year while Rajasthan faced no impact and has itself stated that it cannot take any additional water during floods. He said that with increasing siltation and signs of structural stress, raising the FRLs will compel emergency releases, endangering downstream habitations in Punjab. Thus, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the correct solution is therefore desiltation, not elevation of FRLs, and Punjab urges that BBMB be directed to maintain the current levels as the state has been suffering huge losses due to floods during the last so many years. It is therefore imperative that the partner states also share the loss in the same ratio as they share the water during the lean seasons, he added.
Reiterating that the state has no surplus water to spare through SYL, the Chief Minister said that there has been no scientific calculation regarding the availability of water even in the year 1976, 1981 when the ratio of waters to be shared among the states was decided by the Government of India unilaterally. He said that Punjab has been disputing the availability of water at 17.17 MAF since 1981 itself particularly when all international water agreements mention that the water availability needs to be assessed every 25 years. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the water availability in 1981 itself was taken on the basis of the flow series 1921-1960 i.e. already more than 20 years had passed.
The Chief Minister said that the availability of Ravi–Beas waters has significantly declined, 75% of Punjab’s blocks are over-exploited, and the matter is under adjudication before the Ravi–Beas Tribunal. He said that all proceedings on SYL should therefore be kept in abeyance until the Tribunal gives its final award adding that Punjab has already conveyed that future discussions may be possible only after a fresh, scientific reassessment of water availability and only after Punjab’s essential requirements are fully secured. In wake of suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it is high time that the Government of India should explore the diversion of water of all western rivers to India in view of the suspension of this Treaty.
The Chief Minister said that until this exercise is carried out, any decision regarding the distribution of Ravi Beas waters should be kept on hold as Punjab cannot agree to any step that threatens its agriculture, groundwater security, and long-term sustainability. Bhagwant Singh Mann also opposed the proposal to transfer control of the Ropar, Harike and Ferozepur Headworks to BBMB as these Headworks are located entirely within Punjab and have always been physically operated and maintained by the State. He said that nowhere in India are Headworks of one State run by an external agency and even Haryana itself maintains HathniKund on the Yamuna.
The Chief Minister said that Punjab is always at the mercy of BBMB and its bureaucratic controls adding that in case the control of the headworks is also taken away from Punjab, Punjab will be facing huge difficulties in controlling floods. On the allocation of Yamuna waters, he said that if Haryana is the successor to the Ravi-Beas water so is Punjab to Yamuna waters adding that while the state shares Ravi–Beas waters with Haryana, Punjab was excluded from the 1994 MoU on Yamuna waters without any justification. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the 1954 Agreement between undivided Punjab and Uttar Pradesh entitled Punjab to two-thirds of Yamuna waters,and the1972 Irrigation Commission recognized Punjab as part of the Yamuna basin.
The Chief Minister said that serious efforts need to be made by the Center and the respective States to stop any flood waters going to Bay of Bengal through Yamuna. With the MoU due for review after 2025, he demanded that Punjab’s claim should be duly considered to ensure fairness and parity. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Punjab has already requested the Union Government to include it as a beneficiary in the Yamuna and Sharda–Yamuna Link projects also, but our request has not been considered so far.
Raising the issues to provide financial assistance to carry out flood protection works on the Border Outpost (BOP) of BSF and the Army, the Chief Minister said that the proposal is yet to be approved by the Government of India. He urged the Government of India to release the entire funds without putting any conditions as it was in the interest of national security. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Harike barrage was constructed in the year 1950 to divert water into the Rajasthan Feeder serving the areas of Rajasthan.
The Chief Minister said that due to absence of desilting it causes floods in the upstream areas right up to district Kapurthala and Jalandhar. He urged the Union government to assist the State Government both financially as well as in granting the environmental clearances. Raising the issue of havoc caused by river Ghaggar, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that in a stretch of about 17 km in district Sangrur from Makror Sahib to Karail where the width of the river is too small to carry the waters.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has been raising this issue since long and have even acquired land in the nearby areas. However, he said that due to the objections raised by Haryana, the cross section has not been widened. Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the Government of India to persuade Haryana to agree to this request.
On the issue of Panjab University, the Chief Minister said that the university has a deep connection with the people of Punjab adding that it is only Punjab which has been supporting and nurturing this University for the last 50 years. Now at this stage, he said that we do not understand why Haryana wants to affiliate it’s colleges with Panjab University, when they have already been affiliated for the last 50 years with Kurukshetra University, an A+ NAAC accredited university. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he fails to understand What Has changed for Haryana to now seek this affiliation having ignored Panjab University for the last 50 years.
The Chief Minister said that as far as funding of Panjab University is concerned, Punjab has always financially supported this University and is committed to doing this in the future also, as per a mutually consultative process. He said that the Centre’s recent attempts to restructure the university’s governance have been seen as interference in Punjab’s rights and to its state identity and autonomy. Bhagwant Singh Mann cautioned that Panjab University is not just an academic institution but forms an integral part of Punjabi identity adding he urged for the restoration of democratic processes, including the announcement of elections for the original 91-member Senate.
Flagging another important issue regarding the smuggling of weapons from within the country, the Chief Minister said that they are posing a grave threat to law and order in the state. He said that it is unfortunate that the number of weapons smuggled from within the country (especially from states like Madhya Pradesh) is much more than that smuggled from across the border. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that this needs to be checked with a heavy hand in the larger interest of national security.
Raising the legitimate concerns of the state, the Chief Minister reiterated that the success of a federal set-up lies in the equitable prosperity of its states which are not merely constituents but partners in progress. He said that Water, the elixir of life, has been the driver of growth in Punjab as an agriculture-oriented state for decades and it still is. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that protection of our waters is tantamount to protection of the people of Punjab, a Diaspora which has been contributing to progress across the states of our nation and also and most importantly, in protecting our vulnerable borders.
The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government has taken path breaking initiatives for the welfare of its people during the last more than three years adding that Punjab has become the first state in India to guarantee every family free electricity, free healthcare, free education, and free bus travel for women. He said that despite announcing a deadline of 45 days, the state government has disbursed flood compensation worth Rs 20,000 per acre, the highest in the country, to the farmers within 30days after the assessment through Special Girdawari. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that though the natural calamity had severely disrupted life across many districts of Punjab but with the grace of our Guru Sahibs, the state has succeeded in overcoming this disaster.
The Chief Minister said that Mukhyamantri Sehat Yojana is being launched to provide insurance to cover free medical treatment of upto Rs 10 lakh per family to every person adding that nearly three crore residents of the state will be benefited from it. He said that 881 Aam Aadmi Clinics are functioning in the state to provide free quality treatment to people adding that 200 more will be opened soon. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that under the Sehatmand Punjab initiative, the CM Yogshala campaign has been launched to promote fitness and well-being.
The Chief Minister said that government schools in the state are being upgraded into Schools of Eminence and due to concerted efforts of the state government, Punjab has secured the top position nationwide in the National Assessment Survey conducted by the Government of India, surpassing Kerala, for the first time in education outcomes. He said that from government schools, 848 students have qualified NEET, 265 cleared JEE Mains, and 45 cleared JEE Advanced. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Principals and teachers are being sent to Singapore, Finland, and Ahmedabad for professional training.
The Chief Minister said that the Roshan Punjab Project has been launched to eliminate power cuts,with an investment of Rs 5,000 crore in infrastructure. He said that since July 2022, 90% of households have received free electricity, leading to zero bills and an annual saving of nearly Rs 35,000 per family. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government has created history by acquiring the Goindwal Power Plant from GVK Power, renaming it after Sri Guru Amardas Ji.
The Chief Minister profusely thanked the Ministry of Home Affairs for convening this meeting to resolve the issues concerning Punjab and neighboring states through inter-state consultations. He said that it is a matter of immense pride and satisfaction for us that the state government is organizing a series of events to commemorate the 350th martyrdom year of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji –the Ninth Sikh Guru. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state Government has already chalked a number of events to commemorate this once in a lifetime event across the state in a befitting manner.
The Chief Minister said that these series of events are being organized with deep reverence and respect across the state and these historic events will primarily take place on the sacred land of Sri Anandpur Sahib under the auspices of the state government. He said that the underlying message of the series of events is to encourage the people to follow the high ideals of secularism, humanism and the spirit of sacrifice as preached and practiced by Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji, who had laid down his life to protect the right of freedom to worship and to preserve human rights along with secular values. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the supreme sacrifice of Sri Guru Tegh BahadurJi was unique and unparalleled in the history of mankind and symbolized the crusade against injustice, tyranny and oppression.
The Chief Minister bemoaned that a few months back, the state had witnessed the worst natural catastrophe in the form of floods. He said that the floods submerged over 2,300 villages, affected more than 2 million people, and destroyed crops across five lakh acres of land. Tragically, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that around 60 lives were lost, and seven lakh people were rendered homeless and 3,200 government schools were damaged, 19 colleges were reduced to rubble, 1,400 clinics and hospitals were ruined, 8,500 kilometers of roads were destroyed, and 2,500 bridges collapsed.
The Chief Minister said that as per estimates, the total damage amounts to approximately Rs 13,800 crore, but with their indomitable spirit of Chardi Kala, the Punjabis have started the rebuilding exercise in the state. He said that it is a matter of immense pride for us that irrespective of the flood fury, Punjab is contributing more than 150 LMT of paddy to the national pool. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that besides being the nation’s food bowl, Punjab also has a distinction of being the sword arm of the country and its people are well known all over the world for their courage, resilience and spirit of enterprise.
Revisiting the purpose of setting up the Zonal Councils under the provisions of the State Reorganization Act, 1956, the Chief Minister said that this is an excellent platform to raise the level of interstate cooperation for our economic development. He said that it is in the interest of states to sit together and explore the best possibilities of socio-economic development in the region, which is otherwise geographically disadvantaged, being landlocked and with hostile borders. Batting for a genuine federal structure in the country, with more financial and political power to the States, Bhagwant Singh Mann said that it’s need has been felt across the entire spectrum of political opinion.
The Chief Minister said that there is a wide consensus, cutting across party lines, that the State governments need to be given much greater operational freedom in choosing and financing their development priorities. He said that the northern states share common historical and cultural ties and the Government of Punjab is fully committed to mutual cooperation and good relations with all these States. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the Northern Zonal Council is a useful platform which is instrumental in mutual resolution of the long-standing issues between the Centre and States and amongst the States through open discussions and consultations.
