We thank Centre, but seek full Rs 9000 crores restoration support: Himachal Minister on Centre's disaster aid
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], June 18 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Industry Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan has expressed gratitude to the Central government for releasing Rs 2006.40 crore towards disaster restoration efforts following the unprecedented natural calamity that devastated the state in 2023.
However, Chauhan has reiterated the demand for the full financial support of over Rs 9000 crore, which had earlier been submitted to the Centre for rebuilding critical infrastructure and livelihoods.
Speaking to ANI, Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan said, 'We asked the central government to sanction Rs 9,000 crore, which is still pending. However, we thank the Central Government and Home Minister Amit Shah for sanctioning Rs 2,006 Crore... We have not received the amount we had demanded or what is due, and we hope the funds are rightfully ours. After requests we received post-disaster, the Himachal government prioritised and repaired roads and the water supply scheme. Even today, many roads have been restored, albeit temporarily... We must receive some compensation, and we believe the infrastructure shortcomings will be addressed...'
Earlier today, a high-level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah approved Rs 2,006.40 crore in central assistance to Himachal Pradesh under its Recovery and Reconstruction plan following floods, landslides, and cloudburst incidents in 2023.
The Home Minister's Office (HMO) highlighted the decision in a post on X on Wednesday, stressing that the Narendra Modi-led central government 'stands shoulder to shoulder with states' in times of natural disasters.
In the financial year 2024-25, the Centre has allocated Rs 25,425.16 crore to states under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said.
In 2023, Himachal Pradesh was hit by one of the worst natural disasters in its 75-year history, resulting in extensive damage to public infrastructure, housing, and livelihoods. The calamity claimed the lives of over 550 people and inflicted estimated losses of approximately Rs 10,000 crore. Entire stretches of road networks, bridges, drinking water schemes, and public buildings were swept away or rendered unusable.
In the aftermath, the Himachal Pradesh government passed a resolution in the Legislative Assembly, unanimously seeking substantial financial assistance from the Union Government. A detailed proposal estimating a requirement of Rs 9000 crore was submitted to the Centre toward the end of 2023. A central assessment team had also visited the affected areas to evaluate the scale of destruction firsthand.
The 2023 floods in Himachal Pradesh were triggered by intense monsoon rains that led to landslides, flash floods, and large-scale displacement of communities across districts including Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, and Solan. The state government has since been struggling to mobilize resources for rehabilitation and long-term infrastructure rebuilding. (ANI)
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