Minister thanks Center for including Punjab in list of Inter-Ministerial Central Team visits

Punjab Civil Supplies and Consumers' Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu on Sunday extended gratitude towards the Central government for including the state in the list of visits, which will be conducted by the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMTC).

He said that the pressure exerted by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on the Centre has forced it to include Punjab in the list.

At the same time, Ashu urged the Central government to give equal importance to Punjab at par with other states, which have been badly affected by floods.

The minister demanded that the Centre must give adequate relief to Punjab to mitigate the agony of the flood-affected people.

Ashu expressed surprise over the fact that Punjab has been hit hard by torrential rains which caused havoc and most of the state was inundated by floodwaters.

Alleging that the Centre did not take the situation seriously, the minister said that flood has hampered normal life and caused damage to property.

Ashu said that 10,000 people of 87 villages have been affected by floods whereas 20 other villages have also lost contact with other hamlets due to water stagnation.

The minister applauded the efforts of the Army, NDRF teams and other social organisations, who helped in evacuating the people.

For the damage to the life and property caused in Punjab, a package of Rs 1,000 crore would also not be sufficient, said Ashu.

He flagged the point that the estimated damage in Punjab is around Rs 1,700 crore and urged the Centre to grant financial aid to the state soon.

The minister also appealed to the general public to stand by the Punjab Government in the hour of distress and donate generously in the Chief Minister's Relief Fund to help the flood victims.