Punjab: SDRF norms can’t be tweaked for one state, says Kataria; AAP hits back
Punjab governor Gulab Chand Kataria reiterates the Centre’s stand that the state government has ₹12,000 crore as the state disaster response fund for providing relief to the flood-hit people
Amid the AAP government in Punjab demanding revision in the disaster relief norms from the Centre, governor Gulab Chand Kataria on Thursday said any revision in the norms can be done on the basis of ‘a collective decision’, not at the instance of a state.
He also reiterated the Centre’s stand that the Punjab government has ₹12,000 crore as the state disaster response fund (SDRF) for providing relief to the flood-hit people.
Replying to a question on the AAP government’s demand for revision in the SDRF norms, Kataria said, “I think the (SDRF) package is finalised for the entire country and not for any particular state. And if any changes or increase have to be made in it, it has to be done on the basis of a collective decision, not because someone (one state) is asking for it.” The states get their share of SDRF from the Centre annually, even when there is no calamity, he said.
The Centre contributes 75% and the state government contributes 25% to the SDRF, Kataria said while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
In years when there is no disaster, the fund keeps on accumulating and can be utilised at the time of a calamity, he said.
To another question, Kataria said, “Around ₹12,000 crore for disaster relief is available with you (Punjab) and you could have utilised it.”
The governor said that the Prime Minister and the Union agriculture minister had visited the flood-hit areas in Punjab.
Kataria said that he had demanded more additional financial support for giving relief to the affected people.
The Punjab government had demanded a revision in the norms for the SDRF for adequate compensation to the flood-affected people.
Reacting to Kataria’s statement, AAP leader Baltej Pannu said the Punjab governor is saying that SDRF norms cannot be changed for a state. “His statement means that the Centre does not want to stand by Punjab. It is also not the norm that the PM meets a governor regularly but does not give time to the CM,” he said while taking a dig at Kataria.
Punjab AAP spokesperson Neel Garg urged the Centre to accept the Punjab government’s demand.
“SDRF rules were framed in 2010, but since then inflation has tripled. Therefore, in today’s times, the ₹6,800 per acre compensation is unacceptable, especially when at that time even the diesel rate was only ₹38 per litre.”
Garg expressed regret that even after a month of CM Bhagwant Mann writing a letter to the Prime Minister for revision in norms, there has been no reply.
During his recent visit to Punjab, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a financial assistance of ₹1,600 crore for flood-hit Punjab in addition to the ₹12,000 crore already in the state’s kitty.
Later, a political slugfest erupted over the SDRF. CM Mann claimed that the state received ₹5,012 crore under the SDRF since it was set up in 2010-11, and out of which ₹3,820 crore had been spent.
