PM announces Rs 1,600 cr flood assistance for Punjab, Rs 1,500 cr for Himachal

Chandigarh/Shimla, Sep 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a financial assistance of Rs 1,600 crore for flood-hit Punjab and an immediate relief of Rs 1,500 crore for rain-affected Himachal Pradesh.

He took stock of the situation in both the states in the wake of floods and landslides and also conducted aerial surveys of the affected areas.

Modi first went to Himachal Pradesh and after an aerial survey, held a meeting in Kangra to review the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken as well as assess the damage.

He also announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for the next of kin of the dead and Rs 50,000 for the injured in Himachal Pradesh, where cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains wreaked havoc.

In the meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla, BJP leaders, affected families and people engaged in rescue services in Kangra, Modi assured all help for restoration and rebuilding of infrastructure in the affected areas.

The financial assistance of Rs 1,500 crore to the hill state will be the advance release of the second instalment of SDRF and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Modi asked for a multi-dimensional view to be taken to get the entire region and people back on its feet. These would be done through multiple ways, like rebuilding homes through PM Awas Yojana, restoration of national highways, rebuilding schools, provision of relief under PMNRF along with release of mini kits for livestock.

In Punjab, which is battling its worst deluge since 1988, Modi announced the Rs 1,600-crore assistance in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already in the state's kitty.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the seriously injured in the floods and natural calamity.

From Himachal Pradesh, Modi landed in Gurdaspur -- one of the worst affected districts in Punjab -- after conducting the aerial survey. He met flood-affected people as well as NDRF and SDRF teams.

He also chaired an official meeting in Gurdaspur with officials and elected representatives and reviewed the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken as well as assessed the damage.

Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria, Punjab Agriculture minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, Punjab Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian were also present in the official meeting.

The assistance to Punjab will be advance release of the second instalment of SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

In both the states, Modi emphasised the need for a multi-dimensional approach to help the entire region and its people recover.

This would include measures such as rebuilding homes under the PM Awas Yojana, restoring national highways, reconstructing schools, providing relief through the PMNRF (PM National Relief Fund), and distributing mini kits for livestock.

He also met families in both the states who were affected and expressed his complete solidarity with all those who had suffered and expressed deep sorrow who had lost their close ones.

In Himachal Pradesh, a photograph of the prime minister holding 11-month-old Neetika, the lone survivor in her family, has also gone viral on the internet.

Himachal Pradesh suffered losses to the tune of Rs 4,122 crore due to cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides triggered by heavy rains from June 20 to September 8 and 370 people have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents in the state, according to the state emergency operation centre.

Out of the 370 fatalities, 205 were due to rain-related incidents, which include 43 deaths from landslides, 17 from cloudbursts, and nine from flash floods. Additionally, 41 people are still reported missing, while road accidents have accounted for 165 deaths.

As of Tuesday morning, 619 roads, including four national highways, were closed in the state and 1748 power transformers and 461 water supply schemes were disrupted.

The monsoon has caused significant damage, with a total of 6,344 houses, 461 shops and factories being fully or partially affected, besides massive damage to government and private lands.

Punjab is currently facing one of its worst flood disasters in decades. The floods are a result of swollen rivers the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi along with seasonal rivulets caused by heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

Besides, heavy rains in recent days in Punjab also aggravated the flooding situation.

The death toll due to the devastating floods in Punjab stands at 51 while crops on 1.84 lakh hectares have been damaged.

The state government has estimated a loss of over Rs 13,000 crore because of the floods that ravaged the state.

A total of 2,064 villages have been impacted because of the floods, with maximum villages in Gurdaspur district at 329.

The Centre has already sent inter-ministerial teams to Himachal Pradesh to assess the extent of damage, and based on their detailed report further assistance will be considered.

Modi said that the Centre will work closely with the Himachal Pradesh government at this difficult time and extend all possible assistance.

Recognizing the critical need to support the agricultural community, additional assistance will be provided specifically targeted at farmers who currently lack power connections, he said and added that geotagging of damaged houses will be done under the Under the PM Awas Yojana to assess the damage accurately and ensure faster delivery of aid.

He said all assistance under disaster management rules are being made including advance disbursements to the states. He appreciated the efforts of the personnel of NDRF, SDRF, Army, state administration and other service-oriented organisations in relief and response work.

The central government will further review the assessment based on the memorandum of the state as well as the report of the central teams, he said.

Modi acknowledged the gravity of the situation and assured that the Centre will make all efforts to address the situation.

Ahead of Modi's visit, Chief Minister Sukhu said he would urge the prime minister to grant relaxation in the Forest Conservation Act to facilitate grant of forest land to people who have been rendered landless due to the monsoon disaster. PTI CHS SUN VSD BPL NB ZMN