Union Minister Dr. Murugan Visits Flood-Hit Rupnagar, Assures Farmers of Full Support  

Rupnagar, September 13, 2025: Union Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. L. Murugan today began his two-day visit to Punjab with an extensive tour of the flood-affected areas in Rupnagar district. He visited several villages including Shahpur Bela, Hariwal, Bhanu Pali, Bela Dhyani and Nangal, where he directly interacted with farmers, rural residents, local citizens and administrative officials. Walking through waterlogged fields, travelling on tractors and boats, he observed the impact of floods on agriculture, transportation, drainage systems and daily life, while listening to the concerns of affected families.
During his visit, Dr. Murugan inspected the damaged crops of maize, paddy and other produce and reviewed the difficulties caused by waterlogging and silting. Farmers explained that standing water had disrupted cultivation and irrigation, while key roads had been washed away, affecting the supply of essential commodities. They expressed concern that without timely relief, the upcoming crop cycle could also be endangered. Responding to them, Dr. Murugan assured, “Your hardships are our priority. The Union Government stands with you. We will coordinate with local administration to remove all hurdles in relief work and extend every possible assistance to help you return to normal life at the earliest.”
The villagers urged the Minister to ensure the construction of a strong bridge to connect their villages with the main road, noting that broken routes were obstructing not only agriculture but also medical aid, essential supplies and daily services. Taking note of this demand, Dr. Murugan assured that the government would initiate the required processes for bridge construction. He emphasized that along with immediate relief, the government would prioritise infrastructure development and long-term solutions to prevent such hardships in the future.
Dr. Murugan lauded the Prime Minister’s announcement of ₹1,600 crore in financial assistance for Punjab, describing it as a timely and commendable step. He informed that high-level central teams, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are already assessing the flood situation across the state. The Minister reiterated the Centre’s firm commitment to the welfare of farmers and promised that every possible support will be extended to the affected families.
Praising the spirit of service demonstrated by villagers, Dr. Murugan noted that unity during adversity strengthens society. He visited the Lakshmi Narayan Temple in Nangal, inspected the flood damage and assured support for necessary repair works. Relief materials were also distributed among affected families during the visit.
In the evening, Dr. Murugan held a detailed review meeting with the Rupnagar district administration. Deputy Commissioner Varjit Walia, Senior Superintendent of Police Gulneet Singh, local MLA Dinesh Chadha and senior officials attended the meeting. A detailed discussion was held on relief operations, availability of resources, medical aid, transportation arrangements and future planning. The Deputy Commissioner presented a report on the district’s flood situation. Dr. Murugan stressed that under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, high-level teams have already been deployed to assess the damage. “Our priority is to ensure that relief material, medical aid and other essential facilities are made available to every affected family on time. The Centre and the State Government will work together to ensure effective relief operations, and no affected family will be left without assistance,” he stated.
The Minister instructed officials to implement relief operations promptly, avoid shortages in resources, and maintain transparency in distribution. He directed effective deployment of medical teams and prioritisation of farmers’ grievances. He assured that cash assistance, seeds, fertilisers, drainage arrangements and other essential support would be extended jointly by the Centre and the State. He also directed officials to monitor relief activities regularly to ensure that benefits reached the intended families.
Emphasising the importance of long-term rehabilitation, Dr. Murugan instructed officials to focus on infrastructure development to minimise future flood damage. He highlighted the need for constructing bridges, improving drainage systems, enhancing road connectivity, expanding irrigation facilities and strengthening rural health services. These initiatives, he said, will be jointly implemented by the Central Government, State Government and local administration. He further assured that periodic reviews would be conducted to monitor relief and rehabilitation work so that every affected individual receives timely and adequate support.
Tomorrow, 14 September 2025, Dr. Murugan will address a press conference to share progress on the relief measures, followed by his participation in a local programme in Chandigarh.