Modi in Uttarakhand: Announces financial assistance of Rs 1,200 cr for disaster-hit areas

Dehradun: Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Thursday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,200 crore for flood and rain-affected areas of Uttarakhand.

He also announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those left injured in a series of natural calamities that hit various districts of the hill state this monsoon.

He announced comprehensive support under the PM CARES for Children scheme to children orphaned due to the recent floods and landslides in the state.

The prime minister also met the affected families and offered his condolences.

He interacted with NDRF, SDRF personnel and disaster volunteers who lent a helping hand at ground zero during the disasters and praised their efforts.

The central government assures full support for the restoration and rebuilding of infrastructure in the affected regions, he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi on Thursday reached Dehradun, where he was received at the Jolly Grant Airport by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

Dhami said in a social media post soon after receiving the PM at the airport, "The prime minister's presence in the midst of the affected people at this difficult time of disaster shows his sensitivity towards them."

Heavy rains, cloudbursts and landslides have ravaged various parts of Uttarakhand this monsoon including Dharali-Harsil in Uttarkashi, Tharali in Chamoli, Chenagad in Rudraprayag, Sainji in Pauri, Kapkot in Bageshwar and parts of Nainital district.

According to an official estimate, natural disasters in Uttarakhand since April this year have so far claimed 85 lives, injured 128 people and left 94 missing.

The prime minister's visit follows a recent visit by an inter-ministerial team from the Centre to the affected areas of the state to assess the damage.

Prime Minister Modi arrived in Uttarakhand from his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, where he met his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

On Tuesday, Modi was on a day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to review the flood situation in the two states. He took stock of the flood situation and also conducted aerial surveys of the flood-ravaged areas in the two states.

He announced a Rs 1,600-crore assistance for flood-hit Punjab in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already in the state's kitty.