Punjab government approves Rs 500 billion relief package for flood victims

The Punjab government has approved a historic relief package of Rs 500 billion for the rehabilitation of families affected by the recent floods.

According to sources, the aim of the project is to provide direct financial assistance to millions of affected families living on the banks of three major rivers whose houses, crops and livestock were lost in heavy rains and floods.

The aid under the program will be given through Punjab Relief Cards. Owners of completely destroyed houses will be given Rs 500,000 while those with partial damage will be given Rs 100,000. According to initial estimates, about 63,200 brick houses and 309,000 mud houses have been damaged. Compensation has also been allocated for the loss of livestock, especially cows and buffaloes.

Farmers have also been made part of the relief package. 20,000 rupees per acre will be given as compensation for damaged crops. Along with this, a large part of the package will be spent on repairing roads, bridges and other important infrastructure. Officials say the project is the largest rehabilitation program in recent years.

According to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority, at least 1.8 million acres of agricultural land have been flooded, with 50 percent of rice and 60 percent of cotton and maize crops affected. The Pakistan Farmers Association has expressed fears that the losses could exceed 2.5 million acres, worth more than one trillion rupees ($3.5 billion).

Experts say that this disaster is equal to the severity of the 2022 floods, and even more serious in some districts, because this time both the agricultural and industrial sectors have been affected simultaneously.