Cong demands White Paper on State Calamity Relief Fund

Chandigarh, Aug 25 (UNI) The Congress today demanded a white paper from the Punjab government on the State Calamity Relief Fund (SCRF) and flood prevention, as well as flood relief and rehabilitation package for the flood-hit families in the state.

Expressing surprise over the ''revelation'' that the Punjab Government had not yet utilised the Rs 1,646 crore lying in the SCRF for the welfare of the flood-affected people of the State and instead sought Rs 500 crore from the Centre, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee today said, ''Now it has become imperative for the State government to explain to the public, the latest position about the Fund.'' While observing that Rs 1,646 crore was ''certainly a sufficient amount to provide immediate relief to the flood victims'', the Punjab Congress stressed that it fully sympathised with the flood victims and demanded 100 per cent compensation for them.

''The party would also forcefully demand more funds from the Centre to help the rehabilitation process, provided each single penny reaches the actual sufferer, '' (PPCC) spokesman Bir Devinder Singh said in a statement here, adding that PPCC chief Mohinder Singh Kaypee had already met UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi in this regard.

The PPCC also lashed out at the SAD-BJP government for its ''failure to work out a foolproof mechanism of flood preparedness'' in advance.

UNI XC JN SBC MIR KP1838