Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann recently held a crucial meeting with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to request a special financial aid package for the state, which has been devastated by recent floods. During their discussion, Mr. Shah reassured the Chief Minister that the Central government stands firmly with the people of Punjab during this challenging time.
However, Chief Minister Mann expressed his concern that the ₹1,600 crore relief package announced by the Centre is simply not enough to address the catastrophic damage Punjab has endured. He conveyed that the state experienced its most severe floods in decades, impacting over 20 lakh residents across 2,614 villages and displacing approximately 6.87 lakh people.
The extensive devastation includes more than 4.8 lakh acres of destroyed crops, damage to around 17,000 homes, and the loss of over 2.5 lakh livestock. Critical infrastructure, such as 4,657 km of rural roads and 485 bridges, also suffered significant harm. Mr. Mann emphasized that the preliminary assessment estimates the total losses to be a staggering ₹13,832 crores.
In response, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) released a statement indicating that Punjab already possesses substantial funds, approximately ₹12,589.59 crore, within the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). These funds, according to government norms, are available for immediate relief and restoration efforts.
The MHA further detailed that out of the Prime Minister’s promised ₹1,600 crore financial assistance, ₹805 crore has already been disbursed to the state government and beneficiaries, including ₹170 crore sanctioned by NHAI. The remaining amount will be released once Punjab provides the necessary information.
The statement also noted that an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was proactively formed on September 1, 2025, to assess the damage in Punjab, even before receiving a formal memorandum from the state. This team visited the affected areas from September 3 to 6. However, the MHA underscored that the Central government awaits a detailed memorandum from the State government, which is essential for further aid consideration under approved government norms.