Chandigarh, Sept. 12 — The Punjab government rejected claims made by both the BJP and the Congress on disaster relief funding, releasing figures that it said exposed “false propaganda” about the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that from April 1, 2022, to September 10, 2025, Punjab had received a total of ₹1,582 crore under the SDRF. Of this, ₹649 crore has been spent on relief and rehabilitation, while the rest is earmarked for ongoing and upcoming measures. “Every rupee is being used for the people of Punjab. It is the opposition that is twisting facts for politics,” Cheema said.
According to data presented by the government, the state received ₹208 crore in 2022-23, of which ₹61 crore was spent. In 2023-24, it got ₹645 crore and utilized ₹420 crore. In 2024-25, the allocation stood at ₹488 crore, with ₹27 crore spent. In the current year 2025-26, Punjab has received ₹241 crore and already used ₹140 crore.
Cheema accused the BJP of “misleading the public” about the disaster funds and charged the Congress with echoing “baseless allegations” for electoral gain. “Those who never stood for Punjab’s rights have no moral ground to question us,” he said, adding that the central government had repeatedly delayed allocations.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government also alleged that funds due to Punjab for disaster management had been withheld by the Centre, even as the state was facing urgent needs in education, health, and compensation for farmers. “When crops were destroyed by floods, the Centre delayed aid. It was our government that released compensation immediately,” Cheema noted.
The Mann-led government said it would continue pressing for Punjab’s share while ensuring people were not left waiting for relief. Cheema demanded BJP leaders explain “why thousands of crores meant for Punjab have been blocked under the SDRF” instead of “running campaigns to mislead people.”
By laying out official figures, the Punjab government sought to counter what it described as deliberate misinformation from both national parties. “The truth is clear. Punjab has received ₹1,582 crore since 2022, and it is being spent on our people,” Cheema said.
