New Delhi: The High-Level Committee has approved the additional assistance of Rs. 284.93 crore for Himachal Pradesh affected by floods, landslides, cloudburst during the monsoon.

The High-Level Committee, chaired by the Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah, today, approved additional central assistance of Rs. 5908.56 crore to seven States from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) – Rs. 616.63 crore to Assam, Rs. 1869.85 crore to Karnataka, Rs. 1749.73 crore to Madhya Pradesh, Rs. 956.93 crore to Maharashtra, Rs. 63.32 to Tripura and Rs 367.17 crore to Uttar Pradesh.

Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman was present in the meeting, along with senior officers of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Agriculture and NITI Aayog.

Earlier, the Central Government has released an interim financial assistance of Rs. 3,200 crores to 4 States – Rs 1200 crore to Karnataka, Rs 1000 crore to Madhya Pradesh, Rs 600 crore to Maharashtra and Rs 400 crore to Bihar. In addition, during 2019-20, till date, the Centre Government has released Rs 8068.33 crore to 27 States as Central share from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has thanked the Union Government for approving Rs. 284.94 crore assistance under National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) for meeting out the losses occurred due to incessant rains and floods during last monsoon season.

The Central Government had provided Rs. 312 crore assistance to the State Government last year against reported loss of Rs. 2099 crore which comes to around 17 per cent.

Jai Ram Thakur said that State had received highest ever assistance from the Central Government under NDRF during last two consecutive years for monsoon losses. He said that State Government had also received Central assistance of Rs. 64.49 crore for winter losses during last year.