Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the flood-hit states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab on Tuesday to review the rain-afflicted damage and rehabilitation efforts after weeks of heavy downpour.
The Prime Minister will first arrive in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, at around 1:30 pm, where he will reportedly conduct an aerial survey of the most affected areas. He will undertake an aerial survey of the flood- and landslide-hit areas in Himachal. A statement from the PMO said that at around 1.30 pm, he will reach Kangra, where he will meet officials and chair a high-level review meeting on the situation.
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, the PMO said.
The PM is also expected to chair a high-level review meeting in Dharamshala, where he will be briefed by senior officials from the state administration, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and other rescue and relief agencies including local Aapda Mitra volunteers. He will also interact directly with victims of the disaster to understand their concerns.
Following his engagements in Himachal, the Prime Minister is scheduled to reach Gurdaspur, Punjab by around 4:15 p.m., after conducting an aerial survey of flood-hit regions in the state.
In Gurdaspur, PM Modi will hold a ground-level review meeting with top administrative and disaster management officials and also interact with residents affected by the devastating floods.
The BJP has said the Prime Minister's visit is aimed at “closely monitoring relief and rehabilitation efforts” and “ensuring all necessary central support” for the flood-hit people of both states.
Meanwhile, ahead of PM Modi's visit, Punjab Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State President Aman Arora issued a sharp statement urging the Prime Minister to bring a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore, criticizing what he termed as “mere flood tourism.” He also demanded the immediate release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending funds, including Rs 50,000 crore in GST compensation and Rs 8,000 crore in Rural and Market Development Funds.
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