The Himachal Pradesh government has revised the relief manual and increased the level of financial assistance provided to victims of natural calamities from 30 per cent to 50 per cent. Revenue minister Gulab Singh Thakur said that the government has increased the ex-gratia payment in the event of death in natural calamities from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.50 lakh and included bonafide Himachalis residing outside the state for providing relief. Earlier, the Himachalis living outside the state were not entitled to any such relief.
The state government has also included hailstorm in the category of natural disaster which would help farmers and fruit growers to a large extent as average 35 per cent of crops are damaged by hailstorms every year. Govt has also increased the relief money from Rs 35,000 to Rs 43,500 to victims in case of injury causing disability ranging between 40 and 80 per cent and in case the disability was more than 80 per cent, the relief amount will be Rs 62,000 instead of Rs 50,000.
Thakur said keeping in view the dependence of people on livestock and animals for agriculture and wool, the government has increased the relief for the loss of buffalo, ox, horse, mule, yak, camel, cross breed cow, local breed cow, donkey and Pasmia goat. He said in case of destruction of hutments, compensation of Rs 2,500 would be given to the affected family while a compensation of Rs 7,000 would be paid instead of Rs 3,000 to fishermen in case of damage to their boats.
