PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia for Cyclone Remal-hit victims in Northeast states

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced an ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) to the kin of each deceased due to the natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal.

The Prime Minister has also announced that those injured in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal would be given Rs 50,000 each.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Prime Minister’s office wrote, “An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased due to the natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and West Bengal. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000 each: PM,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a post on ‘X’.

Significantly, the announcement from the PMO comes amid reports that at least 40 people have died, and over two lakh individuals have been affected across the northeastern states due to Cyclone Remal.

Taking to the social media platform X, Prime Minister Modi earlier wrote, “Unfortunately, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, and West Bengal have witnessed natural disasters in the aftermath of Cyclone Remal. My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected. Took stock of the prevailing situation. The Central Government has assured all possible support to the states and is continuously monitoring the situation. Officials are working on the ground to assist those affected.”

Incessant rain and landslides have left parts of the northeast isolated as flood waters have submerged railway tracks. The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has cancelled express, passenger and goods trains bound for south Assam, Tripura, Manipur, and Mizoram since Tuesday as floodwater inundated railway tracks across the region.

On Thursday, a portion of National Highway 6 that connects Assam, Meghalaya, and Mizoram collapsed after a landslide.