Chandigarh, Sep 18 : In a major citizen-centric move, the Punjab government on Thursday decided to convene a special session of the Assembly from September 26 to 29 to provide relief to flood victims in the state.

In a statement here, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the special session would focus on introducing several people-oriented amendments to rules related to the damage caused by the floods.

Additionally, he stated the new laws concerning compensation for flood victims will also be introduced and approved during the session.

Mann highlighted the scale of the destruction caused due to floods, stating that they have submerged over 2,300 villages, affected more than 2 million people, and destroyed crops across five lakh acres.

Tragically, the Chief Minister said 56 lives were lost and around seven lakh people were rendered homeless.

He further noted that 3,200 government schools were damaged, 19 colleges were reduced to rubble, 1,400 clinics and hospitals were ruined, 8,500 km of roads were destroyed, and 2,500 bridges collapsed.

Mann said that as per initial estimates, the total damage amounts to approximately Rs 13,800 crore, though the actual figure can be even higher.

The Chief Minister emphasised that the decisions taken during this special session will provide substantial relief to flood-affected citizens. He reiterated the government's commitment to supporting the people of Punjab, especially those impacted by the floods, during this time of severe crisis. Mann added that his government is leaving no stone unturned to ensure relief, rehabilitation, and recovery for the affected population.

A day earlier, Mann launched 'Mission Chardi Kala'-- a global fundraising campaign to raise funds for the government's rehabilitation efforts for 2025 flood victims.

In a video message, the Chief Minister said that in the past days, the state witnessed a scene that our generations will never forget. He said the floods didn't just bring water, but rather washed away millions of dreams. However, he said that even during the floods, he saw how the youth risked their lives to save others, how gurdwaras and temples opened their doors and served food to distressed people and how entire Punjab stood together like one big family, which is the greatest strength.

/IANS