Chandigarh, Oct. 1 -- In a significant push to address Punjab's fiscal and security challenges, a high-level delegation led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema met with Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, in Delhi on Tuesday. The delegation, which included Chief Secretary KAP Sinha and Additional Chief Secretary for Home Affairs and Finance Alok Shekhar, presented a robust case for a special long-term rehabilitation package worth Rs 20,000 crore to mitigate the devastating impact of recent floods and ongoing border challenges.
Citing the unprecedented floods that wreaked havoc in Punjab's border districts, causing an estimated Rs 20,000 crore in damages to crops, homes, and infrastructure, Cheema emphasized ...