The Punjab Legislative Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution seeking funds from the Centre to tackle the water-logging problem in the state.
Asking the Centre to release Rs 3,277.57 crore for the purpose, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who moved the resolution, assured Congress MLAs that their concerns would be incorporated in the resolution.
Of the two lakh hectares of area in the state affected by water-logging, almost half was in Sri Mukhtsar Sahib alone, Badal said, adding that Gurdaspur, Faridkot, Fazilka and Ferozepur were also badly affected.
Besides surveys conducted by the Planning Commission, Badal said the state had conducted its own survey and prepared a detailed report.
As per the report, which Badal tabled in the House, Punjab needs Rs 3,277.57 crore to find a permanent solution to the menace. He said the report had been sent to the Centre.
Congress MLAs initially showed some resentment asking why the government did not take up the issue at its initial stage.
Amarinder Singh Raja Warring accused the government of failing to manage the preparatory and post disaster responsive actions, while CLP leader Sunil Jhakkar blamed the irrigation and drainage department for misutilising funds procured from the Centre.
After asking the SAD government to include certain points, the Congress MLAs supported the resolution which was passed unanimously.
