- Debris clearance and carcass disposal in all affected villages to be completed by 24 September
Chandigarh, September 14:
Punjab Rural Development and Panchayats Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond informed that the Punjab Government has launched a comprehensive flood relief and rehabilitation programme across rural Punjab to address the extensive damage caused by recent floods in more than 2,300 villages. The drive will focus on immediate relief, restoration of essential infrastructure, and transparent execution of works.
The Minister informed that under the able leadership of CM Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Government is creating a dedicated Rs 100 crore corpus fund to exclusively support flood-related relief and rehabilitation activities. As CM announced earlier that, to initiate urgent works, Rs 1 lakh will be released to each Gram Panchayat, enabling them to begin tasks such as removal of silt and debris from village streets and the safe disposal of dead livestock. Expenditure limits have also been prescribed, Rs 3 lakh for Gram Panchayats with a population up to 2,000 and Rs 5 lakh for Gram Panchayats with a population above 2,000.
Sond underlined the scale of devastation, noting that floods have left behind large volumes of silt and debris, caused significant livestock loss, and damaged public infrastructure including anganwadis, schools, cremation grounds, community centres, and ponds. In response, the Government has fixed strict timelines for execution: debris clearance and carcass disposal must be completed by 24th September 2025, minor repairs to community assets must be finished before 15th October 2025, and desilting of ponds must be completed by 22nd October 2025.
To prevent the outbreak of diseases, the Minister directed that intensive fumigation and fogging operations be carried out in all affected areas. Up to five fogging machines per Panchayat Samiti will be deployed for effective coverage, and the Health Department has been asked to ensure adequate medical support.
For transparency and accountability, special Gram Sabha meetings will be held in every affected village to finalize the works. These meetings will identify the most urgent needs and approve specific works. Before-and-after photographs will be maintained for all projects, and once works are completed, another Gram Sabha will be convened to review expenditure and confirm completion.
Implementation will be overseen at multiple levels. Village Committees headed by Sarpanches will carry out the works, ensuring full community participation. Deputy Commissioners (Development) will monitor progress on a fortnightly basis and submit detailed reports to the State Headquarters. A dedicated Monitoring Cell has been established at the State Headquarters to supervise the overall execution of this programme.
Sond emphasized that transparency and people’s participation will be central to this drive. He appealed to NGOs, youth clubs, and welfare organizations to actively support the Government’s efforts in relief and rehabilitation.
Reassuring the people of Punjab, the Minister said, “Rs 100 crore corpus will be utilized with complete transparency, accountability, and urgency. Every rupee will go directly towards the welfare of flood-affected villagers. Timely execution, strict monitoring, and active community participation will ensure that our rural population recovers quickly from this natural calamity.”
