CHANDIGARH, Sep 14 : The Punjab government has launched an extensive flood relief and rehabilitation program targeting over 2,300 rural villages devastated by recent floods, according to Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond.
The initiative focuses on immediate relief, infrastructure restoration, and transparent implementation to aid affected communities.
Under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s leadership, a dedicated Rs 100 crore corpus fund has been established to support flood-related recovery efforts.
To kickstart urgent tasks, each Gram Panchayat will receive Rs 1 lakh for clearing silt and debris from village streets and safely disposing of dead livestock.
Expenditure caps have been set at Rs 3 lakh for panchayats with populations up to 2,000 and Rs 5 lakh for those above 2,000.
The floods have caused widespread damage, leaving behind significant silt, debris, and livestock losses, while affecting public infrastructure like anganwadis, schools, cremation grounds, community centers, and ponds.
To address this, the government has set strict deadlines: debris clearance and carcass disposal by September 24, 2025, minor community asset repairs by October 15, 2025, and pond desilting by October 22, 2025.
To curb disease outbreaks, intensive fumigation and fogging will be conducted across affected areas, with up to five fogging machines allocated per Panchayat Samiti. The Health Department will ensure adequate medical support for these efforts.
For transparency, special Gram Sabha meetings will be held in every affected village to prioritize and approve works.
Before-and-after photos will document progress, and follow-up Gram Sabha meetings will review expenditures and confirm project completion.
Village Committees, led by Sarpanches, will execute the works with community involvement, while Deputy Commissioners (Development) will monitor progress biweekly, reporting to a dedicated State Headquarters Monitoring Cell.
Minister Sond emphasized transparency and community participation, urging NGOs, youth clubs, and welfare organizations to support the initiative.
“The Rs 100 crore fund will be used with utmost accountability and urgency to ensure swift recovery for flood-affected villagers,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to timely and effective relief.
(UNI)
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