Sultanpur Lodhi, Sept 14 — Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal on Saturday pressed the Centre to immediately release Punjab’s pending share of the Rural Development Fund (RDF), saying the state urgently needs resources to repair infrastructure devastated by floods.
During a meeting with Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra at Nirmal Kutia in Sultanpur Lodhi, Seechewal said nearly half of Punjab had been badly affected by flooding in the state’s rivers, with roads, schools, health centres and community halls suffering extensive damage.
“The flooding has destroyed the basic infrastructure of villages. Punjab’s share of the Rural Development Fund must be released without delay so that urgent repair work on village roads and schools can begin,” Seechewal told the Union minister. He also demanded immediate aid from the Natural Disaster Relief Fund.
The MP said agriculture had been the worst hit. “Farmers’ crops have been completely destroyed, which has pushed the farming community and agricultural labourers into economic distress. Many homes of the poor have either collapsed or been badly damaged. All affected individuals must be given full compensation,” he said.
Seechewal further urged that the Centre and the state extend the employment guarantee under MGNREGA from 100 to 250 days to help rural labourers sustain themselves. “The labour class has also suffered immensely due to the floods. Increasing MGNREGA to 250 days is necessary to provide stability to these families,” he noted.
Raising infrastructure concerns, the MP also pressed Malhotra to restart stalled construction of the flyover at Lohia railway crossing, which has been non-operational for nine months. The project had been delayed after Seechewal earlier recommended extending parts of the bridge, prompting the NHAI to send a revised cost estimate for approval.
Malhotra, who toured the flood-affected areas, assured Seechewal of “all cooperation” in resolving pending issues, including the flyover project.
