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Chandigarh: The Punjab Government has estimated losses worth ₹13,289 crore in the devastating floods that have crippled the state over the past three weeks. The figures were formally presented to two central inter-ministerial teams currently touring Punjab to assess the damage.

At a meeting in Chandigarh, Punjab Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha briefed the teams, led by Rajesh Gupta (Ministry of Home Affairs) and Santosh Kumar Tiwari (Ministry of Rural Development). Officials highlighted that the brunt of the destruction was borne by Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts, where vast tracts of standing paddy and maize were submerged.

The state government is pressing the Centre for a special relief package, not only to compensate farmers and households for direct losses but also to restore damaged infrastructure — roads, bridges, culverts, flood protection embankments and power transmission networks.

While the two central teams have inspected flood-hit regions since September 4, state officials indicated that a more accurate assessment will only be possible after the floodwaters recede. “They may need to conduct a second survey for a clearer picture,” a senior official noted.

Political Undercurrents

The disaster has opened another chapter in the already fraught Centre–Punjab relations. Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema accused the BJP-led government of deliberately ignoring the state’s plight: “The least the Centre can do is release Punjab’s pending dues of ₹60,000 crore, which include ₹49,727 crore GST compensation and ₹8,000 crore RDF and MDF grants. We are the sword arm of India. To deny us support in our worst crisis will alienate Punjab and Punjabis.”

Adding to the political pressure, AAP MP Malwinder Singh Kang reminded Prime Minister Narendra Modi of precedents set last year when Andhra Pradesh and Bihar received special allocations. “If Bihar and Andhra Pradesh can get flood relief, why is Punjab treated with disparity? This pierces the Punjabi psyche,” Kang wrote in a letter.

Mining Allegations Spark Row

The crisis has also led to a war of words between the state and Centre. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, during his Punjab visit, had alleged that illegal sand mining in riverbeds worsened the floods.

Punjab’s Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal hit back, calling the charges “baseless” and politically motivated, “The real cause was unprecedented rainfall and a record inflow in rivers, especially the Ravi. No mining is permitted in the Ravi due to its proximity to the International Border. Even in the Sutlej, permissions are given by a central statutory body, not the state.” Goyal added that breaches in embankments were caused by sheer overflow, not by mining activities.

High-Stakes Ahead of 2027 Elections

With Punjab Assembly elections due in February 2027, the political battle around the floods is likely to intensify. While the AAP government projects itself as a victim of Centre’s “step-motherly treatment,” the BJP is attempting to hold AAP accountable for mismanagement, embankment failures and alleged illegal mining. The Congress, meanwhile, is preparing to corner both, portraying itself as a champion of farmers’ compensation and rehabilitation aid. As Punjab stares at ₹13,000 crore-plus damages, the floods are no longer just a natural calamity—they have become a political flashpoint that could shape the state’s electoral narrative over the next two years.