Punjab demands Rs 5,112 cr from Centre

Pleading strongly for financial assistance to save the Punjab peasantry, Punjab Food and Civil Supplies Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon and Irrigation Minister Janmeja Singh Sekhon impressed upon the high-level central team the need to assess the gravity of the problem being faced by the state.

The package demanded by the state government included Rs 2,531 crore for purchase and arrangement of additional power, Rs 850.80 crore to compensate for additional cost incurred by farmers on high speed diesel, Rs 893.49 for conversion or rescheduling of cooperative credit.

Apart from this, Rs. 300 crore on account of additional ground water irrigation, Rs. 300 crore for restoration of capacity and installation of alternative tube-wells, Rs. 211.60 crore for arrangement of feed and fodder for livestock sector and Rs. 26 crore for drinking water supply were also demanded.

Punjab had earlier demanded Rs 2,380 crore from the Centre as financial package from the Centre. (more)