Punjab Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh has appealed for an interim relief package of ₹780 crore from the Union government to restore the state’s medical infrastructure, which has suffered massive damage due to recent floods in border districts.
Speaking at a fundraising event where he received a cheque of ₹11 lakh from members of the Rajindra Gymkhana and Mahindra Club to support flood-hit families, Dr. Singh said the calamity has not only devastated agriculture but has also severely crippled the healthcare system.
The minister urged the Union Health Ministry to release urgent funds, citing extensive losses: medicines worth ₹130 crore destroyed, 1,280 dispensaries and health and wellness centres badly damaged, along with 101 community health centres and 31 sub-divisional hospitals affected.
“The backbone of Punjab’s rural and urban healthcare has collapsed. It’s not just buildings life-saving equipment, vital medicines, and facilities that serve lakhs of people have been destroyed. We appreciate the Prime Minister’s visit, but solidarity must be followed by action. Punjab needs at least ₹20,000 crore in central assistance for a full-scale recovery,” Dr. Singh said.
He added that the state has launched mobile health camps, veterinary services, food supply initiatives, and rehabilitation measures to alleviate suffering in the affected areas. The government, he assured, is committed to restoring normalcy, safeguarding livelihoods, and rebuilding resilient communities.
