Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s is going to visit Jammu and Kashmir next week against the backdrop of one of the worst natural calamities we have suffered in recent memory. The flash floods caused by cloudbursts in some instances have not only claimed precious lives but have also left behind a trail of devastation that will take years to rebuild. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voiced his hope that the Prime Minister’s presence in the Union territory is not be limited to a symbolic tour, but should translate into a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for the people of the state. The scale of destruction is staggering. Around 330 bridges have been washed away, snapping connectivity between towns and villages, isolating communities, and stalling trade. More than 1,500 kilometers of road which are lifelines in our mountainous region already challenged by terrain have been destroyed. Government buildings, which are crucial for delivering basic services, have crumbled. The floods have also dealt a severe blow to agriculture, with standing crops ravaged and fruit orchards, a backbone of our economy, washed away which will have a long-term impact on food security and household incomes. The human loss was equally grim. Tragedies during the yatras in Kishtwar and Katra highlighted the unpredictable nature of natural disasters and our vulnerability. Behind every statistic is a family grieving, a livelihood lost, a future upended. Relief and rehabilitation can’t be restricted to infrastructure and financial packages; it must prioritize the human dimension by helping the affected families in rebuilding their lives with dignity. This is where the Prime Minister’s intervention is critical. At this time, the union government must rise beyond tokenism. What Jammu and Kashmir requires is a multi-pronged strategy in terms of immediate financial relief to affected families, speedy restoration of connectivity, and a special agricultural rehabilitation package to revive orchards and farmlands. Besides, we need to invest in disaster preparedness. J&K, being in the Himalayan region, is ecologically fragile, and climate change is making extreme weather events more frequent. Floods of the magnitude we witnessed should compel the government to rethink development models that ignore environmental safeguards. The Centre must also ensure transparent disbursal of relief funds, free from bureaucratic delays and leakages. Past disasters in the country have shown how inefficiency and corruption can often turn relief operations into another ordeal for survivors. The affected people and civil society should be made equal partners in the rebuilding process. Jammu and Kashmir today stands at a crossroads. The floods have exposed the vulnerability of our geography and the Prime Minister’s visit should mark the beginning of a sustained national commitment to rebuilding the Union territory.