PM likely to visit state on Sept 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Punjab on September 9 to take stock of the flood situation in the state.

Sources said the PM was expected to conduct an aerial survey of the flood-ravaged areas, including border belts. The official schedule, however, is yet to be announced. Fencing has been eroded at several locations along the International Border and border posts damaged at many locations in both Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Tribune has learnt that the PM is likely to land at Amritsar on Tuesday afternoon and hold a review meeting with top Punjab ministers and officials.

The PM will cast his vote in the September 9 vice-presidential election and is expected to head to Punjab after that. Officials have said the floods in Punjab this time have been the worst since 1988, with a rough estimate suggesting over 4 lakh acres of farmland have been inundated and standing crops damaged.