PM Modi to visit Himachal, Punjab tomorrow to review flood situation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday will first visit Himachal Pradesh and then Punjab to review the flood-related situation. 

He will undertake an aerial survey of the flood and landslide-hit areas in Himachal Pradesh too, sources in the BJP said.

At around 1.30 p.m., the Prime Minister will reach Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, where he will meet officials and chair a high-level review meeting on the situation. He will also meet flood-affected people and the NDRF, the SDRF and Aapda Mitra team there.

Then, the PM will conduct an aerial survey of the flood affected areas in Punjab around 3 p.m.

He will arrive in Gurdaspur around 4.15 p.m., where he will hold discussions with senior officials and chair a review meeting on the ground situation, said the BJP.

He will also interact with flood-affected people as well as central disaster management agencies in Gurdaspur.

The Prime Minister’s direct review is aimed at closely monitoring relief and rehabilitation efforts to support the people of the two states during this difficult time, said the party.

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, Punjab Cabinet minister and Aam Aadmi Party State President Aman Arora made an appeal to come with Rs 20,000 crore relief package, citing that “mere flood tourism” won't suffice in addressing the state’s dire situation, which the state BJP leadership and Union Ministers had already over exploited the photo ops.

Arora said: “On the behalf of over 3 crore citizens of Punjab, I warmly welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who are coming to visit flood-affected areas of Punjab but I would humbly request him to not reduce the crisis to mere flood tourism for photo opportunities. The Prime Minister must come with Rs 20,000 crore package if he considers Punjab is the integral part of the India and he really cares about Punjab.”

He also demanded the immediate release of Rs 60,000 crore stalled funds, which includes Rs 50,000 crore in revenue losses due to implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and Rs 8,000 crore withheld in Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF) during past three and half years.

He highlighted that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also wrote a letter to Central government to release the stalled funds.

He also demanded a hike in flood compensation as over 4.50 lakh acres of farmland has submerged, over 3 lakh livestock have been affected and hundreds houses damaged by the deluge.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition in Himachal Pradesh, Jairam Thakur, reviewed preparations relating to the Prime Minister’s visit.

In an informal interaction with the media in Dharamsala, BJP leader Thakur expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for visiting the state and inspecting disaster-affected areas.

“On behalf of the entire Himachal Pradesh, we are grateful to the Prime Minister for standing with us in crisis and sharing our grief.”

Former Chief Minister Thakur said he will apprise the Prime Minister of the damage to public and private property to enable the state to get the maximum financial assistance.

He thanked the Prime Minister for providing central agencies, the NDRF, the Indian Army, the Indian Air Force for relief and rescue operations.

The BJP leader said this time the disaster has given “irreparable wounds”.

Picture Courtesy: IANS