Shimla – In response to the ongoing havoc wreaked by incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh, the state government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to alleviate the suffering of affected families. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu addressed the media, revealing a total allocation of Rs. 4500 crore to address the disaster’s aftermath.
Rs. 750 crore will be dedicated to the restoration and rehabilitation efforts, while Rs. 1000 crore will be allocated for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA).
One of the significant announcements made during the press conference was the revision of compensation rates for damaged properties. For completely damaged houses, the compensation has been increased five and a half times, rising from Rs. 1.30 lakh to Rs. 7 lakh. Approximately 3,500 houses have been entirely destroyed by the disaster in the state.
In the case of partially damaged ‘kutcha’ houses, the compensation has witnessed a 25-fold increase, now reaching Rs. 1 lakh. Similarly, for ‘pucca’ houses with partial damage, the compensation has been raised 15 and a half times from Rs. 6500 to Rs. 1 lakh. The state has recorded damage to 6930 ‘kutcha’ houses and 5549 ‘pucca’ houses.
Businesses affected by the disaster will also receive increased financial assistance. The compensation for damage to shops or dhabas has been quadrupled to Rs. 1 lakh. Likewise, cowshed owners will now receive Rs. 50,000 in financial aid, up from the previous Rs. 3000. The disaster has led to damage to 670 shops and dhabas and 8300 cowsheds in the state.
Furthermore, the state government is offering Rs. 50,000 in assistance for damage or loss of belongings to tenants, marking a 20-fold increase from the previous Rs. 2500. Approximately 1909 individuals have been affected in this category.
The agricultural and horticultural sectors have been significantly impacted by the disaster. Compensation for damage to agricultural and horticultural land has increased from Rs. 3615 per bigha to Rs. 10,000 per bigha. Crop loss compensation has also seen an eight-fold increase, rising from Rs. 500 to Rs. 4000 per bigha. Additionally, assistance for removing silt from agricultural and horticultural land has increased from Rs. 1384.61 per bigha to Rs. 5000. The state has reported damage to 37899 bighas of agricultural land, 17947 bighas of horticultural land, and damage to crops on 26490 bighas.
For families with houses completely destroyed, the government has initiated a scheme to provide two biswa of land in urban areas and three biswa in rural areas. This scheme will also be available to families whose land is no longer habitable. There will be no income ceiling for the distribution of relief, and landless disaster-affected individuals living in Himachal Pradesh for an extended period will also be provided land.
Low-income group sanitation workers and migrant labourers whose houses were completely damaged within municipal limits will be rehabilitated. The District Magistrate will select suitable land, and the Municipal Corporation will aid in their rehabilitation.
The government is committed to assisting affected families in rebuilding their homes. The state will bear the cost of providing electricity and water connections to under-construction houses of families whose homes were destroyed. Additionally, these families will have access to cement at government rates to facilitate new construction.
The disaster has not only affected infrastructure but also disrupted education. Additional classes will be organised to compensate for the lost study time due to school closures.
Since the onset of the disaster, the government has been providing relief to affected individuals. An amount of Rs. 750 crore has already been disbursed to districts under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to aid the affected population and restore essential services. Furthermore, Rs. 829 crore has been allocated to the Public Works and Jal Shakti departments for reconstruction and restoration projects, with an additional Rs. 671 crore forthcoming for expediting these efforts.
The government has taken measures to help those affected living in relief camps. Families can move to rented accommodations, and the government will provide Rs. 5000 as rent support in rural areas and Rs. 10000 in urban areas for the next six months. Essential supplies, including LPG cylinders, flour, rice, pulses, sugar, and cooking oil, will also be provided free of cost to these families until March 31, 2024.
Finally, works related to retaining walls and the channelization of drains for disaster-affected families’ houses can be carried out using the MLA Area Development Fund. Each assembly constituency has been allocated Rs. 2 crore 10 lakh for this purpose. Any unspent funds in the Sectoral decentralized planning program in all districts until March 31, 2023, can now be utilized for constructing retaining walls and channelizing drains for affected households.
