Chandigarh, September 10: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini flagged off 20 trucks loaded with relief material from Pipli Anaj Mandi in Kurukshetra for flood-affected Punjab. Addressing the media, he said Haryana has already provided immediate financial assistance of ₹5 crore each to Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The Chief Minister noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently visited Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to review flood damage and announced a relief package of ₹3,100 crore—₹1,600 crore for Punjab and ₹1,500 crore for Himachal.
The trucks dispatched from Kurukshetra carried essential items including pulses, rice, drinking water, juices, pickles, medical kits, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, animal fodder, and other daily-use materials. Saini said the relief operation is being conducted with the cooperation of Haryana’s citizens, social organizations, and committees.
He assured that compensation is being provided to affected citizens and farmers in Haryana’s flood-hit areas through the e-compensation portal. So far, 3,24,583 farmers from 5,786 villages have registered crop losses covering 19.22 lakh acres. Families of those who lost lives in the floods are being given ₹4 lakh in immediate relief. Saini added that over the last 10.5 years, ₹15,500 crore has been paid to farmers for crop damage.
Extending congratulations to newly elected Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, the Chief Minister also appealed to officials and employees of Haryana to voluntarily contribute to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
Taking a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Saini remarked that whenever the country faces a disaster, Gandhi “leaves for foreign tours.” He said he had also planned a foreign visit but canceled it due to the flood crisis.
Responding to Punjab CM’s claim that the state does not need financial assistance, Saini said Haryana has a moral responsibility as a neighbor to support Punjab during this calamity.
Highlighting welfare schemes, Saini stated that under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 7.47 lakh families have received ₹2,314 crore for housing in the last decade, while under the Ambedkar Renovation Scheme, ₹416 crore has been allocated to 76,985 families to replace weak roofs with permanent structures.
Former minister Subhash Sudha, Chairman Dharamveer Mirzapur, Chairman Dharamveer Dagar, and other dignitaries were present during the occasion.
