NEW DELHI: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Tuesday lashed out at the Centre over the announcement of a Rs 1,600-crore relief package for flood-hit Punjab , calling it inadequate and questioning the delay in releasing the relief.
CM Mann compared Punjab's delayed flood relief with Afghanistan's aid, accusing the Centre of being partial. “If there is a crisis in Afghanistan, financial help is sent instantly. Here, he visited after so many days and announced a package of Rs 1,600 crore. But we have not received a penny yet. What is the enmity with Punjab?” Mann said.
Mann’s sharp snub came against the backdrop of India’s response to the devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan on September 1, which killed over 1,400 people. Two days after the fatal earthquake, EAM S Jaishankar announced on X that India airlifted 21 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Kabul.
On September 9, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey in flood-stricken Punjab and held a review meeting with officials. He then announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,600 in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already allocated to the state. He also met affected families, acknowledging the severity of the disaster, and assured them that the Centre would work closely with the Punjab government to provide relief.
As part of the package, PM Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who died and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured. Orphaned children, he said, would receive comprehensive support under the PM CARES for Children scheme.
However, the relief announcement was sharply criticised by both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, with leaders dismissing the package as “too little” and likening it to “oonth ke mooh mein jeera” (a drop in the ocean).
Punjab ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Hardeep Singh Mundian, Harbhajan Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Lal Chand Kataruchak, and Laljit Singh Bhullar also slammed the Centre, pointing out that the state had sought Rs 80,000 crore — including Rs 60,000 crore of pending dues — to rebuild and recover.
“The people of Punjab, who have always stood tall as the nation’s food bowl and defenders of its borders, deserve better than such step-motherly treatment,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
CM Mann compared Punjab's delayed flood relief with Afghanistan's aid, accusing the Centre of being partial. “If there is a crisis in Afghanistan, financial help is sent instantly. Here, he visited after so many days and announced a package of Rs 1,600 crore. But we have not received a penny yet. What is the enmity with Punjab?” Mann said.
ਜਦੋਂ ਅਫ਼ਗਾਨਿਸਤਾਨ ਵਿੱਚ ਆਫ਼ਤ ਆਈ ਤਾਂ ਬੀਜੇਪੀ ਦੀ ਕੇਂਦਰ ਸਰਕਾਰ ਨੇ ਤੁਰੰਤ ਰਾਹਤ ਸਹਾਇਤਾ ਭੇਜੀ, ਪਰ ਆਪਣੇ ਦੇਸ਼ ਦੇ ਅਹਿਮ ਸੂਬੇ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨੂੰ ਮੁਸ਼ਕਲ ਦੀ ਘੜੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਅਣਗੌਲਿਆ ਕੀਤਾ ਗਿਆ। ਬੀਜੇਪੀ ਵਾਲੇ ਇਸ ਗੱਲ ਦਾ ਜਵਾਬ ਦੇਣ ਕਿ ਪੰਜਾਬ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਸ ਗੱਲ ਦੀ ਦੁਸ਼ਮਣੀ ਕੱਢ ਰਹੇ ਨੇ।
— Bhagwant Mann (@BhagwantMann) September 15, 2025
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जब अफ़ग़ानिस्तान में आपदा आई तो भाजपा की… pic.twitter.com/onExbB36CW
Mann’s sharp snub came against the backdrop of India’s response to the devastating 6.0-magnitude earthquake in Afghanistan on September 1, which killed over 1,400 people. Two days after the fatal earthquake, EAM S Jaishankar announced on X that India airlifted 21 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Kabul.
Indian earthquake assistance reaches Kabul by air.
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 2, 2025
21 tonnes of relief materials including blankets, tents, hygiene kits, water storage tanks, generators, kitchen utensils, portable water purifiers, sleeping bags, essential medicines, wheelchairs, hand sanitizers, water… pic.twitter.com/q8TUb1wbSn
On September 9, 2025 Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey in flood-stricken Punjab and held a review meeting with officials. He then announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,600 in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already allocated to the state. He also met affected families, acknowledging the severity of the disaster, and assured them that the Centre would work closely with the Punjab government to provide relief.
As part of the package, PM Modi announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of those who died and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured. Orphaned children, he said, would receive comprehensive support under the PM CARES for Children scheme.
However, the relief announcement was sharply criticised by both the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Congress, with leaders dismissing the package as “too little” and likening it to “oonth ke mooh mein jeera” (a drop in the ocean).
Punjab ministers Gurmeet Singh Khudian, Hardeep Singh Mundian, Harbhajan Singh, Barinder Kumar Goyal, Lal Chand Kataruchak, and Laljit Singh Bhullar also slammed the Centre, pointing out that the state had sought Rs 80,000 crore — including Rs 60,000 crore of pending dues — to rebuild and recover.
“The people of Punjab, who have always stood tall as the nation’s food bowl and defenders of its borders, deserve better than such step-motherly treatment,” the ministers said in a joint statement.
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