Centre Announces Over ₹3,000 Crore in Aid for Flood-Hit Himachal and Punjab
The central government has announced financial assistance of ₹1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh and ₹1,600 crore for Punjab to aid relief and rehabilitation efforts following devastating floods and landslides. The announcement came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted an aerial survey of the affected regions. The funds include advance releases from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and will support rebuilding homes, restoring infrastructure, and providing assistance to farmers in the two states, which have suffered extensive damage.
Unpacked:
The floods and landslides were triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains, especially in Himachal Pradesh, which received 46% above normal rainfall. Surplus water releases from dams and swollen rivers like Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej further intensified flooding in Punjab and neighboring regions.
In Himachal Pradesh, losses from cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides amounted to ₹4,122 crore, with 370 deaths reported and widespread infrastructure damage. In Punjab, over 1,900 villages were submerged, 51 people died, and about 400,000 acres of crops were lost, impacting nearly 384,000 people.
The announced assistance—₹1,500 crore for Himachal Pradesh and ₹1,600 crore for Punjab—is significant but falls short of the total estimated losses, which exceed ₹4,000 crore in Himachal Pradesh alone. Punjab has sought ₹20,000 crore in relief, indicating that more aid may be needed.
Relief efforts include rebuilding homes, restoring infrastructure, and compensating affected families and farmers. Central teams will continue to assess damage, and further assistance may be provided based on ongoing evaluations and state government requests. Local and national agencies are also involved in rescue and support operations.