CHANDIGARH: Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman raising serious concerns over what he described as a “glaring contradiction” between the Centre and Punjab government on the availability of disaster relief funds meant for flood-hit citizens of the state.
In his letter, Bajwa pointed out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while announcing an interim grant of ₹1, 600 crore, had asserted that nearly ₹12, 000 crore were available with the Punjab government under accumulated balances of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) from 2010 to 2025.
However, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema have maintained that only ₹1, 582 crore were received, out of which ₹649 crore were spent during the AAP government’s tenure. The Indian Express had also reported on September 11, 2025, that the Chief Secretary described the ₹12, 000 crore figure as “largely an accounting entry.” At the same time, a CAG report placed the SDRF balance at ₹9, 041.74 crore as of March 31, 2023, including transfers and accrued interest.
Bajwa said such discrepancies cannot be ignored, particularly with the state assembly scheduled to debate flood relief and rehabilitation between September 26 and 29. He urged Sitharaman to intervene and provide a comprehensive, verified report from 2021–22 onwards, clearly detailing:
Year-wise receipts under both Central and State shares of SDRF, along with accrued interest.
Year-wise expenditure reported by the Punjab government.
“This is not a partisan issue. It is about federal integrity, fiscal transparency, and the basic right of every Punjabi to know the truth, ” Bajwa wrote. He added that lakhs of citizens devastated by floods depend on these resources for relief and rehabilitation.
Emphasizing the need for accountability, Bajwa said the people of Punjab deserve full honesty in the management of funds earmarked for their welfare. “At a time of unprecedented distress, our people deserve the truth, not confusion, ” he stated, urging the Union Finance Minister to ensure that accurate figures are placed before the House and the public without delay.