Poor monsoon rains: Pb seeks Rs 2,000 crore from Centre

Punjab has sought financial assistance of Rs 2,000 crore from the Centre to deal with any drought-like situation in the state, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said.
Badal said the help has been sought on account of deficit rainfall in the state during the monsoon season.
"We have already taken up the matter with the Union government to assist the state in dealing with the drought- like situation," Badal told reporters here.
"We have raised this issue with the Government of India and I am hopeful of a positive outcome of our efforts," he added.
He said it was the bounden duty of everybody to help the hard-working and resilient farmers of the state, who have played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food production.

Meanwhile, replying to a question, Badal called upon both SAD and BJP leaders not to air their grievances in public and raise these at party fora instead, pointing out that both parties "shared deep bonds" and were not mere "coalition partners".
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) had yesterday taken a dig at BJP MLA Anil Joshi and asked him not to politicise the matter, after the Punjab government decided to rollback the 'advance tax on stock'.