New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has accused the Centre of misleading the public on flood relief funds, saying the state is demanding its rightful share, not charity. Speaking in a special session of the Punjab Assembly, Mann rejected the Centre’s claim that ₹12,000 crore lay unused in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Mann presented a 25-year account of SDRF allocations, stating that Punjab has received only ₹6,190 crore under successive Akali-BJP, Congress, and AAP governments. “Most of this amount has already been spent on floods, droughts, and hailstorms. Only around ₹1,200 crore remains in the account, which is grossly insufficient for this year’s devastation,” he said.
Flood Damage in August 2025
In August, unprecedented floods ravaged Punjab, impacting nearly 1,400 villages and over four lakh people. Vast stretches of farmland, including wheat, mustard, and other rabi crops, were destroyed. Farmer unions estimate that around 75,000 families have been left financially crippled.
The state government’s preliminary assessment pegs total losses at ₹13,800 crore, covering agriculture, infrastructure, electricity, roads, and water supply systems. Officials believe the figure could rise further as surveys continue. Based on these findings, Punjab has sought a ₹20,000 crore relief package from the Centre.
Mann Slams Centre’s Response
So far, the Centre has cleared only ₹1,600 crore, which both the state government and Opposition leaders described as “a drop in the ocean.” The Centre’s suggestion that Punjab use the “unused ₹12,000 crore in SDRF” drew a sharp rebuttal from Mann, who dismissed it as “an imaginary figure” and “statistics jugglery.”
“We are not seeking alms—we are demanding what is due. More than ₹50,000 crore of Punjab’s GST share and ₹8,000 crore for rural development remain stuck with the Centre. Withholding crucial funds during a disaster and misleading the public is unfortunate,” Mann said.
Punjab Seeks Urgent Relief
While the state government has been providing immediate aid to farmers through its own resources and the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Mann said Punjab cannot shoulder a calamity of this scale without Centre’s support. He urged the Union Government to release the ₹20,000 crore package at the earliest to ensure timely relief for affected families.
“This is about disaster management, not politics. The Centre must fulfill its constitutional responsibility,” Mann stressed.
