In a significant move, the Union government has officially declared the devastating floods that hit Punjab as a national calamity on its dedicated parliamentary portal. This declaration has unlocked a wave of financial support from Members of Parliament across the nation, who have collectively contributed a substantial sum for relief efforts.
Parliamentary Portal Facilitates Cross-Party Aid
Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation, Rao Inderjit Singh, provided this crucial information in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. He was responding to a query raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Vikramjit Singh Sahney, who represents Punjab. The minister confirmed that the declaration was made on the eSakshi portal, a platform typically used by MPs to track project execution, which also includes a provision for them to contribute financially in the event of a national calamity.
Following the declaration, a total of Rs 9.25 crore has been contributed by MPs, transcending party lines and state boundaries. The funds were allocated under the 'calamity consent' provision from their Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) Scheme funds. This collective effort aims to compensate Punjab for what has been described as the worst flooding the state witnessed in the last forty years.
Breakdown of Contributions from MPs
Minister Rao Inderjit Singh tabled detailed records of the contributions. The breakdown of donations is as follows:
- Seven MPs contributed the maximum allowable amount of Rs 1 crore each.
- Two MPs donated Rs 75 lakh each.
- Three MPs sent Rs 25 lakh each from their MPLAD allocations.
The list of contributors is notable for its cross-party composition, though a majority belong to the Aam Aadmi Party from both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.
Key Contributors and Timeline
The minister named the MPs who made significant contributions. The seven parliamentarians who donated Rs 1 crore each are:
- Hardeep Singh Puri
- Ashok Kumar Mittal
- Harbhajan Singh
- Sanjay Singh
- Sandeep Kumar Pathak
- Jual Oram
- Vikramjit Singh Sahney
The MPs who contributed Rs 75 lakh each are Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and Narain Dass Gupta. Those who donated Rs 25 lakh each are Parmar Jashvantsinh Salamsinh, Narain Dass, and Narhari Amin.
The donation drive saw the first contribution of Rs 1 crore made by Vikramjit Singh Sahney himself on September 19. The last recorded contribution in this series was made by Hardeep Singh Puri on November 17.
A Unified Response to a State Crisis
This coordinated response highlights the procedural mechanism available to lawmakers for addressing large-scale disasters. The eSakshi portal's role in facilitating this process underscores a digital approach to managing parliamentary recommendations and crisis contributions. The substantial sum of Rs 9.25 crore, pooled from legislators across India, represents a tangible effort to aid Punjab's recovery from the catastrophic floods, setting a precedent for collaborative disaster response through established parliamentary channels.
