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Jakhar asks Mann to clear stance on ₹12,000-crore disaster funds
The BJP’s Punjab president has alleged that the state government poorly presented its case before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to flood-affected areas on September 9
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president Sunil Jakhar challenged Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann to clarify his stance on the ₹12,000 crore in the state disaster response force (SDRF).
Addressing the press conference in Jalandhar on Friday, Jakhar, who was accompanied by Union minister of state for railways, Ravneet Bittu, said CM Mann has been claiming that ₹1,500 crore has been received by the Punjab government under SDRF.
“On the other hand, Punjab chief secretary KAP Sinha asserted that there is an entry of ₹12,000 crore in the SDRF, and cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian seconded Sinha and said there is availability of ₹12,128 crore with the state to deal with disasters. Instead of owning the responsibility, the CM has resorted to irresponsible behaviour by playing with the words over funds issued by the Centre,” Jakhar said.
Jakhar added in 2023, Mann had said that the state had a lot of money in the SDRF, as the previous governments did not know how to use it.
“However, now, Mann has taken an opposite stance to claims made two years ago,” Jakhar said.
Jakhar also alleged that the state government poorly presented its case before Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to flood-affected areas on September 9.
“Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is our political opponent, but the case presentation over flood losses before the PM was very comprehensive and detailed, carrying actual losses. Punjab had come up with rough estimates, not even signed by any administrative officer or minister,” Jakhar alleged.
Jakhar said while Punjab’s chief secretary presented a damage estimate of ₹13,289 crore before the Prime Minister, cabinet minister Hardeep Singh Mundian quoted a drastically higher figure of ₹20,000 crore.
He also questioned the delay of the state government in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana in the state.
