A survey of the flood-affected areas has been started in as many as 20 districts of Punjab to assess the losses due to heavy rains/floods. Moreover 103 relief camps have been established in all the affected areas whereas food and other relief items are being provided to the victims.
Secretary Relief and Crises Management Department stated this during a briefing to the provincial Minister for Relief Gul Hameed Khan Rokhari here on Monday, disclosed an official.
He further informed the minister that the provincial government had released a sum of Rs 14172,245 to DCOs for the provision of free ration and other relief measures for the flood victims. According to initial survey in 20 districts of Punjab, 1137 villages had been affected by the flood in which 2366 houses have been destroyed completely while 5357 damaged partially.
Crops on 175 acres have also been affected. The Relief department has provided 3467 tents to the DCOs for relief camps and on the instructions of the chief minister basic necessities, including food and ration was being provided. Relief Department is constantly in touch with the DCOs for providing relief, he added.
Meanwhile addressing the meeting, Gul Hameed Rokhari said that keeping in view the financial difficulties of the rural population the chief minister had enhanced the amount of financial assistance in case of loss of cattle heads from Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 to each family.
The minister said that the government would pay Rs 25,000 for completely demolished house and Rs 10,000 for partially damaged house. He further said that on the instructions of the chief minister, government had decided to declare calamity hit areas where the extent of damage to crops is more than 50-percent.
On the declaration, all the government dues would be remitted while the banks would be advised to defer recovery of agriculture loans and grant fresh loans for the next crop.