Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab on Monday, September 9, to assess the widespread damage caused by floods and landslides. According to ANI, the Prime Minister is scheduled to undertake aerial surveys, interact with affected families, and review relief measures with state officials in both states.
PM Modi’s Itinerary in Himachal Pradesh
At around 1:30 pm, Modi will land in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, where he will meet officials and hold a high-level review meeting on the ongoing crisis. He will also interact with flood-hit residents along with teams of the NDRF, SDRF, and Aapda Mitra volunteers. Later, he will conduct an aerial survey of disaster-stricken areas across the state.
Leader of Opposition in the Himachal Assembly and former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur voiced his concern over the large-scale devastation. Speaking to ANI, Thakur said, “Tomorrow, PM Modi will also conduct an aerial survey of the disaster-affected areas in Himachal, and after that, he will come to Kangra and meet the affected families and will also meet the government. We welcome the PM’s visit to Himachal. In such a situation, if this kind of sequence continues, then how will Himachal be able to stand on its feet? Upon assessing the damage, it appears that Himachal will take many years to recover and stand on its feet again.”
The BJP leader pointed out that nearly every district of the hill state had been affected.
On Sunday, Thakur said he would be present in Dharamshala during the Prime Minister’s visit and would brief him on the extent of the destruction. “On behalf of the people of Himachal Pradesh, we extend a warm welcome to PM Modi. I will apprise him of the devastation caused in different regions due to incessant rains and landslides,” he stated.
PM Modi’s Visit to Punjab
Following his engagements in Himachal Pradesh, the Prime Minister will fly to Punjab. Around 3 pm, he will undertake an aerial survey of the flood-hit regions and later reach Gurdaspur by 4:15 pm for discussions with senior officials. He will also interact with affected communities and rescue teams.
On Sunday, BJP’s Punjab unit chief Sunil Jakhar stated that the Prime Minister was personally monitoring the situation. “He (Modi) is visiting Punjab on September 9 to personally assess the local conditions and understand the ground realities to provide maximum assistance to the people of Punjab,” Jakhar said in a post on X.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had earlier visited Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Kapurthala districts on September 4, describing the situation as a “jal pralai (deluge).” He assured farmers that the Centre would extend all possible support to them. Two central teams deputed to Punjab are also preparing their reports on the losses suffered.
Punjab continues to grapple with one of its worst flood disasters in decades, with rivers Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, along with several rivulets, overflowing following incessant rains in their catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Heavy rainfall within Punjab itself has worsened the crisis. As per official estimates, the death toll in the state has risen to 46, while crops on 1.75 lakh hectares of farmland have been damaged.
