Home Minister assures Punjab of full support in flood relief and recovery

New Delhi, Sep 30: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Tuesday assured Punjab of full central support in relief and restoration efforts following the recent floods, saying the Modi government stands “shoulder to shoulder” with the people of the state. Amit Shah met Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in New Delhi, who briefed him on the scale of damage and sought additional financial assistance. The Home Minister informed him that Punjab’s State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) currently has an available balance of `12,589.59 crore, which can be used for relief and restoration in line with central norms.

The Centre said it had extended all possible support during rescue and restoration operations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Punjab on 9 September to review the situation.

Of the `1,600 crore assistance announced by the Prime Minister, `805 crore, including `170 crore sanctioned through NHAI, has already been disbursed to the state government and beneficiaries, with the balance to be released once further documentation is provided.

An Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) had also visited Punjab from 3–6 September to assess the damage, even before receiving a formal memorandum from the state government. The Centre reiterated that a detailed memorandum from Punjab would be required for additional support under the approved norms. The Ministry of Home Affairs advised the state to prepare a comprehensive recovery and reconstruction plan for livelihoods and infrastructure. Guidelines issued last year enable states to access Recovery and Reconstruction funding under SDRF and NDRF, following a Post Disaster Needs Assessment in coordination with disaster management authorities.