Kashmir's Disaster Is India's Disaster, 1,000 Crore Aid: Narendra Modi

JAMMU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation and announced special assistance of 1,000 crore while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah asked people not to panic and assured help will reach them soon. Modi undertook an aerial survey of the flood-affected Jammu and Srinagar regions along with army chief Gen. Dalbir Singh Suhag, also offered assistance to Pakistan for flood relief operations in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, but Islamabad said its relief and rescue operations were proceeding effectively.

The Indian Air Force (IAF) meanwhile began a massive aerial relief and rescue operation in flood-affected regions, where over 100 people have been killed as well as property and infrastructure badly damaged. The 1,000 crore package announced for the flood-hit state was besides a 2 lakh compensation from the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for the kin of each dead and 50,000 each for the seriously injured.

Modi termed the current crisis – the worst-floods in the state in six decades – a “national level disaster”. Abdullah, who also met the prime minister, promised the flood-hit people that help will reach them soon and asked them not to panic.

READ MORE: Lottery To Decide Who Will Attend Modi's Public Reception In U.S. and Modi's Teachers' Day Speech To Be Streamed Live On DD Web