Flood havoc dominates Punjab Assembly’s special session 

September 28, 2025

Abhishek Vij

On September 26th, a special session of the Punjab Assembly was convened to express concern over the devastation caused by the floods in Punjab and to deliberate meaningfully on relief measures. This session should certainly be of great significance. The floods and unprecedented devastation in Punjab have affected every corner of the state. Crops have been submerged and destroyed. Punjab’s agriculture has been covered in numerous layers of flood-induced sand and debris, making it difficult to restore the land to cultivation.

In this Assembly session, MLAs and ministers on behalf of the government expressed their anguish over the devastation suffered by the common people and also sharply criticized the central government’s attitude on certain issues. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann responded eloquently to Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Punjab, Rahul Gandhi’s refusal to visit the flood-affected areas, and other allegations made by the opposition. Earlier, Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal targeted the Bhakra Beas Management Board. He stated that the entire management of the BBMB should be under the control of the Punjab government, allowing it to decide how much water to release and how much to retain.

Whereas, at present, we have to correspond with the BBMB for every decision. Many decisions were stalled due to the BBMB’s stubbornness and arbitrariness.

The government even argued that the weather forecasting department had not performed its duties properly. The people of Punjab are part of this nation, always rising to the occasion to face the nation’s challenges. The central government initially took cognizance of the devastation in Punjab with a delay. Later, it provided only Rs 1,600 crore in flood relief. Barinder Goyal also stated that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was denied an appointment to meet with the Prime Minister, even though he could have provided a full account of the devastation. Meanwhile, the central government, responding to allegations of underfunding, maintains that this amount was the first installment. As the full details of the devastation become clear, more funds will be provided.

The central government also argued that Rs 12,000 crore (approximately $1.2 billion) of funds already available from Punjab should have been properly utilized for mitigating the disaster. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema claimed that not a single penny of the centrally announced funds has yet been disbursed to the state government. In this special assembly session, the Punjab government has demanded a financial package of at least Rs 20,000 crore. Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Pratap Singh Bajwa demanded the suspension of Ministers Barinder Goyal and Krishan Kumar. Bajwa said, “On the one hand, you want responsibility for the BBMB, yet you can’t even manage the Ranjit Sagar Dam.”

This caused a huge uproar, leading to the House being adjourned. Undoubtedly, Punjab has suffered significant devastation. The quality of paddy has declined. The appearance of fields has deteriorated. Stubble management is also a problem, even though the Punjab and Haryana High Court is saying that those who burn stubble should be jailed. Such statements do not alleviate the pain of the common people of Punjab. There are many problems that demand solutions.

First, those who have been devastated should receive immediate relief. Second, the damaged fields should be prepared for the next crop quickly. Third, the quality of crops has declined after the rain and floods. By lowering standards, every grain of the crop should be purchased, and farmers should receive prompt payment. The conclusion of this legislative session should be to repair the shattered dreams of the common man.