Will PM Modi visit J&K next week to assess flood damage?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi's visit aims to assess flood damage in J&K.
- A significant relief package is expected for affected residents.
- The visit coincides with the Navratra festival.
- High-level assessments will be conducted to evaluate the situation.
- Community engagement is a priority during the visit.
Jammu, Sep 20 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to Jammu and Kashmir next week for a one-day visit aimed at evaluating the destruction inflicted by the recent floods, according to a local BJP official.
Ashok Koul, the General Secretary (Organisation) of Jammu and Kashmir BJP, confirmed the upcoming visit, mentioning that PM Modi will be in the union territory during the auspicious Navratras, with specific dates currently being finalized.
The Prime Minister’s itinerary includes flood-stricken regions within both the Jammu division and the Valley, coinciding with the Navratra festival, which starts on September 22, although the exact date remains undecided.
During his visit, PM Modi is anticipated to announce a significant relief package for the individuals affected by the floods in the Union Territory.
This one-day trip will allow him to evaluate the damage caused by cloudbursts, landslides, and floods resulting from heavy rainfall.
Additionally, he is likely to engage with residents who have been impacted by these natural calamities.
A senior-level team from the Central government will accompany the Prime Minister to perform an in-depth assessment of the devastation, particularly focusing on the severely affected areas of the Jammu region.
Sources indicate that an aerial survey of the flood-impacted locations is also part of the Prime Minister’s agenda.
Following the findings from this visit, the Central government is expected to declare a substantial relief package for the Union Territory.
Previously, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Jammu to evaluate the flood situation. A central team has already completed initial assessments of the damage caused by the incessant rains across Jammu and Kashmir.
The region has suffered from unprecedented flooding that severely impacted both the Jammu division and the Valley, with Jammu division facing the worst of nature's fury.
A cloudburst on August 14 claimed the lives of 67 individuals, predominantly pilgrims of the Mata Machail Devi Yatra, injuring over 100 others in the Kishtwar district.
On August 26, 32 pilgrims visiting the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine lost their lives when a landslide impacted a shelter along the route to the shrine.
The landslide struck the shelter while the Yatra was officially suspended, and most pilgrims had returned to the Katra base camp, but several had taken refuge there, which was subsequently hit.