NEW DELHI: Home Minister Amit Shah affirmed the Central Government’s commitment to supporting flood-affected individuals in Punjab during a meeting on Tuesday. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann presented an update to Shah regarding the damage caused by recent floods, highlighting the need for additional funds for disaster relief and restoration efforts.
Shah noted that Punjab’s State Disaster Response Fund has adequate resources, amounting to Rs 12,589 crore, which can be utilized according to central guidelines. The Centre has already provided substantial assistance to the state through various agencies for search, rescue, and immediate restoration.
In a previous visit on September 9, Prime Minister Narendra Modi monitored the flood situation and announced financial assistance totaling Rs 1,600 crore. Of this amount, Rs 805 crore has been released to the state and its beneficiaries under different schemes. The remaining funds will be dispensed upon receipt of necessary information from Punjab. An inter-ministerial central team was also formed on September 1, and it assessed the affected regions from September 3 to 6.
However, Punjab is yet to submit a detailed memorandum to the Central Government, which is essential for requesting funds to cover damages. The state is encouraged to formulate a recovery and reconstruction strategy to restore livelihoods and repair damaged infrastructure in line with central directives.
