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

NEW DELHI, Sep 9: 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.
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.
In both the states, Modi emphasised the need for a multi-dimensional approach to help the entire region and its people recover.(PTI)