Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and members of the 14th Finance Commission (FC) visited the flood-hit areas of Muktsar on Sunday.
The CM pressed upon the visiting dignitaries the importance of granting funds to the state and make a recommendation to the Central government in this regard. The CM said that a time-bound programme to check floods in the region would be appreciated by the state.
Commission members led by YV Reddy interacted with the residents of Khokhar, Haraaz and Udaikaran villages. One of the members, chairman of the agriculture Committee of the Planning Commission of India Abhijit Sen assured them that he would soon recommend to Chairman PCI to depute a high-level team to assess the extensive damage caused to crops, houses and physical infra structure, especially the roads and power grid stations due to the recent floods.
Chairman YV Reddy said that the commission will do its best to bail out the state government from the present crisis.
The CM said, "The Centre should come up with financial assistance to relieve people from the pangs of waterlogging."
Badal urged the Commission to impress upon the GoI to send a team of experts on hydrology and drainage to address the problem of water logging efficaciously besides revamping the state's drainage system.
At Jhabelwali village, Badal said, "The Commission had been enlightened with the hardships faced by the people of area due to waterlogging and it will certainly help the state overcome the menace of waterlogging."
{{/usCountry}}At Jhabelwali village, Badal said, "The Commission had been enlightened with the hardships faced by the people of area due to waterlogging and it will certainly help the state overcome the menace of waterlogging."
{{/usCountry}}Abhijit Sen said that the plan panel had endorsed the proposal for agriculture diversification sent to it and promised to recommend the funding of this ambitious program to center government for putting the traditional agriculture on a strong pedestal.
The delegation, along with the CM, also visited the damaged 132 KV Power Grid at village Sarai Naga and 220 KV Power Grid at Sri Muktsar Sahib.
Cabinet minister Bikram Singh Majithia, his principal secretary SK Sandhu, special principal secretary KJS Cheema, DC Parmjit Singh, Kawarjit Singh Rozy Barkandi were part of the delegation.