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Where’s ₹12k-crore disaster relief fund: Cong to state govt
Warring says the state government has not come out with a clear and categorical answer so far after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out that ₹12,500 crore were lying with the state
Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday asked the AAP government in Punjab to clarify its position about the ₹12,500 crore disaster relief fund. Warring said the state government had not come out with a clear and categorical answer so far after Prime Minister Narendra Modi pointed out that ₹12,500 crore were lying with the state.
“The state government’s response has been quite confusing so far. It is neither clear nor confident to confirm or deny the Prime Minister’s claims,” the Congress MP told reporters on the opening day of the special session of the state assembly. During his recent visit to Punjab on September 9, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced financial assistance of ₹1,600 crore for flood-hit Punjab in addition to the ₹12,000 crore already in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Warring also questioned the AAP government’s failure to provide immediate relief to the flood hit people. “What we have heard so far is announcement after announcement and nothing on the ground”, he said. Replying to a question on the state government having set up a special ‘Rangla Punjab’ fund for flood relief, he said that people’s money must be collected and distributed in a transparent manner.
