Punjab announces compensation for flood victims

LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has announced compensation for flood victims as the recent deluge has affected as many as 4.7 million people.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Bokhari stated that the provincial government will provide Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers and Rs 1 million to those who lost their entire houses.

Moreover, Rs500,000 will be provided to those who were left without their mud brick residence or whose houses collapsed partially. Also, Rs500,000 will be given to people who have suffered loss of livestock.

The information minister said that the initial survey of the damage assessment in the flood-affected areas has been completed. “2,213 survey teams were working in the field for damage assessment,” she added,

She added that around 2.6 million people were evacuated and shifted to safer locations along with 2.1 million animals. Bokhari further said that 4,494 villages have been affected by the floods.

Earlier, CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz said that the rehabilitation package will be handed out to people within two weeks.

In a high-level meeting held last week, the Punjab government agreed to establish Flood Relief Committees at district and tehsil levels, along with developing survey forms, a mobile application, and a central monitoring dashboard to ensure effective aid distribution and oversight.

Chief Minister Maryam directed all relevant stakeholders to initiate comprehensive rehabilitation efforts for flood-affected people.