Centre to provide drought relief packageto Punjab within 2 months: Chandumajra

Anandpur Sahib member of parliament (MP) Prem Singh Chandumajra here on Monday said that the Centre would provide a special drought relief package to Punjab within two months.

Anandpur Sahib member of parliament (MP) Prem Singh Chandumajra here on Monday said that the Centre would provide a special drought relief package to Punjab within two months.

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He said this while talking to mediapersons here on Monday. "The union agriculture minister had made the announcement in the Lok Sabha that though the state did not fulfill the parameters for the drought relief, the Centre would provide special relief package as special case to the state if required concerned norms would be amended."

Chandumajra said that the relief package would be provided by the end of October or the first week of November.

He said that the state government had also put up its case for special package for border areas and industries before the Centre and hoped that it would accept the demand.

In reference to the letter written by union finance minister Arun Jaitely to the Punjab government, to advising it to rationalise the power subsidy, Chandumajra said that Amarinder Singh, who is holding responsible post of deputy leader of Congress in Lok Sabha, should not make it a political issue and instead, extend cooperation to the state.

He added that the Congress party could not hide its sins by making Jaitley's letter an issue.

"Punjab is the first state to provide subsidy on power to farmers. It had long ago started Atta-Dal Scheme for poor, which was later on followed by other states,"he added.

Chandumajra also said that considering its immense potential to attract tourists, Anandpur Sahib town would be developed as a major tourist hub.