NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced a relief package of Rs 1,600 crore for Punjab, which is battling its worst floods since 1988. The assistance comes in addition to Rs 12,000 crore already allocated to the state for disaster management.

During a day-long visit, PM Modi conducted an aerial survey of flood-hit areas and chaired a review meeting in Gurdaspur, one of the hardest-hit districts. He assured affected families that the Centre was committed to supporting both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation.

PM Modi also met affected families as well as rescue teams from the NDRF, SDRF and Aapda Mitra volunteers. He praised their work and wrote on X that authorities were “working round-the-clock” to assist those impacted. He also held discussions with Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and senior officials. Inter-ministerial central teams will assess damage to determine further assistance.

The package includes compensation of Rs 2 lakh for families of those who died in the floods and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Children orphaned by the disaster will be covered under the PM CARES for Children scheme.

Farmers will receive benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, along with livestock mini-kits to aid agricultural recovery. Housing losses will be addressed through the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin, while roads and schools damaged by the floods will be rebuilt under central schemes. The government has also cleared advance release of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

To support irrigation, the Centre announced solar-powered pumps and micro-irrigation under the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ initiative, along with refurbishment of borewells under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. Modi also stressed the need for long-term water conservation projects.

The announcement has triggered sharp political reactions. Punjab Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian called the package “an insult” to the state, which had sought Rs 20,000 crore. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring said the losses were massive, including damage to over 2.5 lakh cattle and thousands of homes. AAP leaders reiterated demands for the release of Rs 60,000 crore in pending central dues.

Heavy rains and cloudbursts have left vast stretches of Punjab inundated, destroying crops, livestock and infrastructure. Border districts like Gurdaspur remain among the worst affected. Modi’s visit also included a stop in Himachal Pradesh to review flood and landslide damage, underlining the widespread impact of extreme weather across northern India.