On 14 Oct, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan released compensation of USD 1.3K for repairing damaged houses and an additional USD 454 for constructing toilets per house for 36,703 houses damaged in the recent floods. As the Panjab government begins disbursing flood relief funds—USD 4,444 in case of deaths to USD 414 per cow or buffalo—farmers are closely monitoring compensation details, ensuring they align with the guidelines as per the union and state governments under the State Disaster Response Fund because they feel they were cheated after the 2023 floods. Meanwhile post floods, livestock health has emerged as a silent casualty. Veterinary experts warn of a growing crisis—mineral deficiency in animals that could severely impact dairy productivity and rural livelihoods. Vivek Sharma and Karamjit Sharma from Punjab Agricultural University emphasized that minerals—often overshadowed by energy and protein in feed formulations—were vital for an animal’s immunity, fertility, digestion, and milk yield. With floodwaters disrupting fodder supply chains, contaminating grazing areas and delaying concentrate preparation, the risk of deficiencies has intensified. Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana has developed an area-specific mineral mixture to address these gaps. Experts recommend its use to prevent long-term health setbacks. Concurrently, the Indian union government has proposed a major amendment to the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, aimed at restructuring the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), a move that can potentially dilute Panjab’s role and influence in the inter-state body. At present, only Panjab and Haryana have permanent members in the BBMB. The proposed amendment states that the Board shall consist of a whole time chairman and four whole time members, one each from the states of Panjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Himachal Pradesh. Panjab's ruling Aam Aadmi Party spokesperson Neel Garg said the union government's move exposes its anti-Panjab mindset and represented yet another deliberate attempt to weaken Panjab's control over its water and power resources. The amendment is truly ironic because Panjab’s experience in the last 69 years points towards the full control of BBMB coming to Panjab but now Panjab’s stake is being further diluted (earlier coverage).
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