Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after witnessing from the air vast stretches of submerged farmland and broken embankments on Tuesday, unveiled a Rs 1,600-crore special relief package for Punjab, in addition to the Rs 12,000 crore already at its disposal. In Gurdaspur, where he met survivors, farmers and disaster-response teams, the Prime Minister also announced Rs 2 lakh for the families of each deceased, Rs 50,000 for the injured, and assured long-term care for orphaned children under the PM CARES for Children scheme.
The PM also took stock of the situation in Himachal Pradesh in the wake of floods and landslides, and also conducted aerial surveys of the affected areas.
PM Modi first went to Himachal Pradesh and after an aerial survey, held a meeting in Kangra to review the relief and rehabilitation measures undertaken as well as assess the damage.
The PM outlined a broad recovery roadmap covering immediate relief, agricultural rehabilitation, housing, education, infrastructure, and water management. He assured that the Union Government will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the people of Punjab in rebuilding lives and restoring normalcy. He also said that advance release of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) instalment and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi payments will be made to ensure quick disbursement of cash relief to families and farmers.
The Rs 1,600-crore package is designed to combine emergency support with long-term recovery. Families who have lost members will receive cash assistance, while financial aid under PM Awas Yojana will be extended to households whose homes have been damaged. Government schools washed away or rendered unsafe will be reconstructed through the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, while national and State highways will be repaired to restore connectivity to affected villages and towns.
Livelihood support has been prioritised through mini-kits for livestock farmers, repair of damaged water recharge structures and construction of new harvesting projects under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari initiative. This, officials said, will not only speed up recovery but also improve long-term water sustainability in Punjab’s flood-prone belt.
Given that the floods hit Punjab’s agrarian backbone, the package earmarked targeted assistance for cultivators. Farmers with borewells silted up or swept away will receive support under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) on a project mode, based on proposals from the State. Diesel-run pumps will be solarised through tie-ups with the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), while micro-irrigation projects will be backed under the Per Drop More Crop scheme.
These measures, the PM emphasised, are aimed at making Punjab’s farm economy more resilient to both floods and future water stress.
In a significant outreach, Modi met 19 farmers, along with NDRF and SDRF personnel, during his Gurdaspur visit. Farmers shared their anguish and blamed illegal mining, unchecked tree-felling, and unrepaired embankments — locally known as dhussis — for worsening the damage. The PM, recalling the devastating 1995 floods he had witnessed firsthand, listened to their concerns and assured that these structural lapses would be addressed alongside relief measures.
PM Modi also lauded the tireless efforts of the NDRF, SDRF, Army, and Aapda Mitra volunteers who have been on the frontlines of rescue and relief operations. He expressed condolences to bereaved families and said that the Centre would ensure that no survivor feels abandoned in this tragedy.
The Union Government has already deputed Inter-Ministerial Central Teams to assess the extent of losses in Punjab. Based on their report, as well as the State’s memorandum, further financial and technical assistance will be considered. The Prime Minister underlined that all assistance under disaster management rules would be made available, including advance disbursements and rehabilitation grants.
Concluding his visit, Modi reiterated the Centre’s commitment to work closely with Punjab in this testing hour. “The Government of India stands shoulder to shoulder with those affected. Every possible effort will be made to help Punjab recover, rebuild, and emerge stronger,” he said. Punjab, battling swollen rivers and breaches in embankments, is facing its worst floods since 1988.