Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday visit the flood-affected states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to personally review the ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations, as monsoon-triggered floods and landslides continue to cause widespread devastation across northern India.

According to official sources, the Prime Minister will first arrive in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh around 1:30 p.m., where he is expected to conduct an aerial survey of the worst-hit areas, subject to weather conditions. Later, he will chair a high-level review meeting in Dharamshala and will be briefed by senior officials of the state government, the NDRF, SDRF, and other relief agencies, including Aapda Mitra volunteers. He is also scheduled to meet victims of the calamity and listen to their grievances directly.

Following his engagements in Himachal, PM Modi will travel to Punjab and is expected to reach Gurdaspur around 4:15 p.m. after conducting an aerial survey of flood-hit areas. He will then chair a ground-level review meeting with senior administrators and disaster management teams, apart from interacting with flood-affected residents. The BJP said the Prime Minister’s visit underlines his commitment to closely monitor relief measures and ensure full central support to both states.

Meanwhile, politics over the visit has intensified, with Punjab Cabinet Minister and AAP State President Aman Arora demanding that Modi announce a relief package of at least Rs 20,000 crore, criticising what he termed as “mere flood tourism.” He further pressed for the release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending dues, including Rs 50,000 crore in GST compensation and Rs 8,000 crore in Rural and Market Development Funds. Arora also pointed out that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has already written several times to the Centre seeking urgent financial assistance to rebuild flood-ravaged infrastructure.