The Centre Stands Shoulder to Shoulder with the Affected: Prime Minister Modi Begins Visit to Flood-Hit Himachal and Punjab

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday stated that his government stands shoulder to shoulder with those affected as he begins his visit to flood-affected regions in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to assess the situation on the ground.

Officials confirmed that the Prime Minister will be on a one-day visit to both states to review the devastation caused by recent floods and landslides.

After surveying the flood-affected areas in Himachal Pradesh, Prime Minister Modi will conduct an aerial survey of Punjab’s affected regions. He is scheduled to visit Gurdaspur, where he will meet with senior officials, review the ground situation, and chair a high-level meeting.

During his visit, the Prime Minister will also interact with flood-affected residents as well as teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and Disaster Mitra volunteers.

As he departed for Himachal Pradesh and Punjab from Delhi, Prime Minister Modi posted on X, “The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with the people affected during this difficult time.”

Sunil Jakhar, President of the BJP in Punjab, stated on Sunday that Prime Minister Modi is deeply concerned about the flood situation in the state and is closely monitoring the developments.

Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit, strict security arrangements have been put in place in Gurdaspur.

Punjab is currently grappling with one of its worst flood disasters in decades. The flooding has been triggered by the overflowing waters of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal streams in catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, which experienced heavy rainfall.

Additionally, recent downpours in Punjab have further worsened the flood situation.

So far, the floods in Punjab have claimed 51 lives and destroyed crops over 1.84 lakh hectares, dealing a severe blow to agriculture and livelihoods in the region.