Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a visit to flood-ravaged Punjab, unveiled a ₹1,600 crore relief and recovery package aimed at restoring infrastructure and supporting affected communities. The funds are in addition to the ₹12,000 crore already available to the state for disaster management efforts.
Relief Measures: Multi-Pronged Strategy
Key highlights of the package include:
Reconstruction efforts: Rebuilding homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), restoring national highways, repairing schools under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, and restoring borewell infrastructure.
Agricultural support: Refurbishing silted or damaged borewells under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, converting diesel-run pumps to solar-powered ones through MNRE convergence, and promoting micro-irrigation under the Per Drop More Crop initiative.
Water conservation and recharge: Building rainwater harvesting and recharge structures under the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari program to ensure long-term water resilience.
Livelihood and infrastructure support: Distributing livestock relief kits, extending aid through the PM National Relief Fund (PMNRF), and advancing the second instalment of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Compassionate Aid to Affected Families
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Ex-gratia payments:
Orphan support: Comprehensive assistance under the PM CARES for Children scheme for those orphaned due to floods and landslides.
The Prime Minister conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas and held a damage-assessment meeting in Gurdaspur, expressing full solidarity and sorrow for affected families. Central teams have also been deployed to carry out detailed assessments for further action.
What Lies Ahead
The Centre has committed to further evaluation based on the findings of inter-ministerial teams and state proposals. The multi-dimensional approach—spanning infrastructural, agricultural, educational, and social aid—is designed to facilitate a comprehensive recovery.
As debates unfold over the adequacy of the package, attention now turns to effective, transparent implementation and potential follow-up assistance that aligns with Punjab’s considerable needs.
Summary
PM Modi’s ₹1,600 crore relief package—announced on September 9, 2025—is aimed at rebuilding flood-impacted Punjab by addressing housing, infrastructure, agriculture, and social welfare. Despite the government’s robust plan and expressions of solidarity, critics across the political spectrum have demanded far greater financial support to match the scale of the devastation.
