The Central Government’s promise of flood relief to Punjab has proven to be an empty one. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ₹1600 crore relief package for flood-affected Punjab, yet this pledge remains unfulfilled. Not a single rupee has reached the state treasury, leading Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs to stage a powerful protest in the Assembly on Friday.
Holding placards and raising slogans, the legislators denounced the Centre’s action as a “betrayal” of Punjab. “We needed ₹20,000 crore, but we got a ‘jumla’ (hollow promise) of ₹1600 crore, and not even one rupee of that has been released,” the MLAs stated.
The special session of the Punjab Assembly saw a historic scene as the AAP government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, issued a stern warning to the BJP-led Central Government. The government made it unequivocal that Punjab would no longer be satisfied with mere promises but demands tangible relief.
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema directly attacked the Centre, asserting that the Prime Minister’s visit to Punjab was merely a “photo opportunity.” He added, “The Prime Minister failed to even offer condolences to the family that lost three members in the floods.” Cheema also criticized the Congress, alleging that its leadership supported the BJP instead of standing with Punjab during the crisis.
Water Resources Minister Brinder Kumar Goyal presented a resolution in the Assembly, stating, “Punjab sought ₹20,000 crore in relief, but the Centre offered a ‘rattle’ (insufficient token) of just ₹1,600 crore. This is a cruel joke on the farmers and flood victims of Punjab.” He noted that while the package was announced by the Prime Minister on September 9, no part of it has been released yet.
Goyal stressed that the Central Government must recognize the true scale of the devastation and immediately approve a special package of at least ₹20,000 crore. Furthermore, the resolution demanded that the ₹1,600 crore announced by the Prime Minister be instantly released to the Punjab Disaster Relief Fund.
State Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian called the central promise an “insult to Punjab.” He pointed out that the Chief Secretary had given the Prime Minister a detailed account of the massive losses—including damaged roads, 1.91 lakh hectares of destroyed crops, ruined homes, and land. Despite this, the Centre promised only ₹1600 crore, which remains stuck only on paper.
The government clarified that the magnitude of destruction in Punjab is enormous, making ₹1600 crore negligible. The state requires a minimum of ₹60,000 crore to adequately compensate farmers, rebuild crucial infrastructure, and stabilize people’s lives.
A powerful message was conveyed from the Assembly under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s leadership: “Punjab will not beg for charity; it will fight for its rights. This is not just a matter of relief, but a question of Punjab’s dignity.”
