Chandigarh, November 1: An 11-member committee of senior IAS officers has been formed by the Punjab government to prepare a detailed report on flood damages ahead of submission to the Centre, officials said. The exercise is part of the post-disaster needs assessment following the worst floods to hit the state in nearly 40 years.
Revenue Secretary Manvesh Singh Sidhu will lead the team and oversee compilation of the sector-wise damage report, which must be finalised by November 3. The draft will first go before a multi-sectoral committee chaired by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha for review before its submission to the Union government.
The development follows a central team’s visit on October 27, when Union officials conducted spot inspections across affected districts to assess damage to crops, roads, bridges, and civic infrastructure. The committee’s findings will guide the Centre in allocating relief funds for key sectors such as irrigation, panchayat livelihood, health, education, agriculture, and animal husbandry.
Earlier, Punjab had sought ₹12,905 crore in compensation through a detailed memorandum to the Centre, citing widespread devastation caused by the monsoon floods. The deluge particularly hit Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Gurdaspur, and Fazilka, where rivers Sutlej, Ravi, and Beas overflowed after heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, submerging villages under nearly 15 feet of water.
As per estimates from the state revenue department, 2.97 lakh acres of farmland were affected and around 30,000 houses damaged, including nearly 9,000 completely destroyed. The state has also demanded financial assistance to desilt 85,000 acres of land covered with silt deposits.
A 14-member central delegation had earlier checked grain procurement centres in flood-hit districts to assess crop quality, much of which had turned discoloured beyond permissible limits. Farmers have urged the Centre to relax procurement norms, citing continued deductions in crop value.
During a special session of the Assembly on September 30, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had assured that compensation would reach affected farmers before Diwali. But sources in the revenue department said only limited funds have been disbursed to date. The state also reiterated its demand for a ₹20,000-crore special package to rebuild damaged homes, roads, and schools.
