PM surveys damage in flood-hit Himachal, announces Rs 1,500 crore relief package

Kangra,UPDATED: Sep 9, 2025 16:59 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday visited Himachal Pradesh to review the devastation caused by recent floods, landslides and heavy monsoon rains. PM Modi announced Rs 1,500 crore financial aid for the disaster-hit state.

The Prime Minister first undertook an aerial survey of the affected areas before holding a review meeting in Kangra with state officials to assess the damage and ongoing relief measures. He later met affected families to offer condolences and interacted with personnel from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Aapda Mitra volunteers, appreciating their efforts in rescue and relief work.

State officials said Himachal Pradesh has suffered damages worth over Rs 4,100 crore due to cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides between June 20 and September 8. The disaster has claimed 370 lives, including 205 in rain-related incidents — 43 due to landslides, 17 from cloudbursts and nine in flash floods. Another 165 people were killed in road accidents triggered by the bad weather, while 41 remain missing. The monsoon has also caused massive infrastructure losses, damaging more than 6,300 houses, 461 shops and factories. The state has witnessed 136 major landslides, 95 flash floods and 45 cloudbursts so far.

Announcing a financial assistance package of Rs 1,500 crore, PM Modi said the Centre would ensure full support in rebuilding and restoration. According to a government press release, the package includes the advance release of the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and support under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.

The Prime Minister also declared an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Laying out a multi-dimensional recovery plan, PM Modi said the focus would be on rebuilding homes under the PM Awas Yojana, restoring national highways, repairing damaged schools and providing relief under the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). Mini kits for livestock and additional support for farmers without power connections will also be provided.

To speed up relief delivery, damaged houses will be geotagged for faster aid allocation, while schools will be able to report and geotag damages to secure assistance under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. Water harvesting structures will also be built to improve groundwater levels and strengthen long-term water management.

Inter-Ministerial Central Teams have already been sent to Himachal to assess the losses. The Centre said further financial support will be considered after their detailed report.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Modi wrote in Hindi: “I spoke to people affected by the floods and landslides in Himachal Pradesh. Their pain and the scale of the tragedy are deeply distressing. We are fully committed to ensuring that relief and assistance reach everyone facing this crisis.”

Acknowledging the severity of the disaster, PM Modi assured that the Centre would make all efforts to support Himachal Pradesh in recovery and rebuilding.

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