Sukhbir seeks ₹20,000-crore flood-relief package from PM for Punjab

During his visit to flood-affected areas in Jalandhar, Sukhbir said the package was needed to compensate for crop and house losses

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday demanded a ₹20,000 crore relief and rehabilitation package for flood-hit Punjab, besides a complete farm loan waiver for farmers and farm labourers.

During his visit to flood-affected areas in Jalandhar, Sukhbir said the package was needed to compensate for crop and house losses, as well as repair roads and power infrastructure.

During his visit to flood-affected areas in Jalandhar, Sukhbir said the package was needed to compensate for crop and house losses, as well as repair roads and power infrastructure. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend support, noting Punjab’s contribution as the nation’s food bowl.

Sukhbir accused the AAP government of failing to provide compensation for crop losses over the past three years and said the current disaster had “broken the back” of farmers. The SAD also announced a drive to remove sand deposits from farmlands using machinery and volunteers.

Meanwhile, SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema said Sukhbir has convened an emergency meeting of all district presidents and constituency incharges at the party headquarters in Chandigarh on Monday. The meeting will take stock of the losses suffered across Punjab and finalise the party’s strategy for relief operations.

Cheema said that while SAD cadres were already active on the ground, the magnitude of the crisis called for intensified efforts.