Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau
Rana Gurjeet urges PM Modi for Rs 70,000 acre compensation, structural flood reforms in Punjab
Babushahi Bureau
Kapurthala (Punjab), September 7, 2025: Congress MLA from Kapurthala, Rana Gurjeet Singh, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of the latter’s scheduled visit to Punjab on September 9, urging immediate and comprehensive compensation for the extensive losses caused by the recent floods in the state.
Welcoming the Prime Minister’s visit as a sign of solidarity with flood-affected families, Singh highlighted that over 4.5 lakh acres of farmland have been devastated, with paddy and sugarcane crops completely destroyed. He demanded a minimum compensation of ₹70,000 per acre to help farmers recover and sustain agricultural activities.
Call for Comprehensive Relief Package
In his letter, Singh also underscored the widespread destruction beyond agriculture, including damage to:
- Homes and village infrastructure (roads, dharamshalas, dispensaries)
- Small-scale rural industries such as sawmills and atta chakkis
- Loss of milch animals crucial to rural livelihoods
He stressed the need for a relief package that goes beyond crops and compensates for the overall damage to rural life.
Criticism of BBMB
The Kapurthala MLA strongly criticized the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), accusing it of poor coordination in managing dam water releases, which allegedly worsened the flood situation. Singh demanded accountability and suggested that BBMB be held liable for compensation. He further recommended transferring operational control of BBMB to Punjab, with state engineers handling irrigation operations for better regional management.
Long-Term Flood Management
Highlighting that Punjab has suffered major floods in 2019, 2023, and now 2025, Singh pressed for long-term measures, including:
- Construction of embankments at vulnerable points along riverbanks
- Relocation of flood-prone families along Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers with ₹50 lakh per acre compensation
- Adequate relief for farm labourers (khet mazdoors) who have also lost livelihoods
Water Management and Inter-State Sharing
Singh proposed the formation of a team of engineers to develop mechanisms for recharging Punjab’s fast-depleting groundwater using surplus floodwater. With water tables falling nearly one meter annually and 80% of blocks overexploited, he called for sustainable water management to be made a national priority.
He also raised concerns over water-sharing disputes, pointing out that while Haryana and Rajasthan demand greater water shares in summer, they refuse to accept excess floodwater during monsoon. He urged the Prime Minister to create a fair and cooperative mechanism where partner states share both benefits and burdens.
Political Coordination
Rana Gurjeet Singh concluded by recommending that BJP Punjab President Sunil Jakhar, given his agrarian background, be consulted in framing the relief package. He expressed hope that PM Modi would respond with urgency and empathy, ensuring decisive steps to provide relief to Punjab’s flood-hit population.