Shimla – Himachal Pradesh has suffered a massive financial loss of ₹1,613.50 crore due to the severe impact of monsoon-related natural disasters this year. The state government has submitted a detailed report of the destruction to the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), seeking substantial financial assistance from the Centre.
The IMCT, which concluded its three-day visit to the state on Saturday, was briefed by Additional Chief Secretary Omkar Chand Sharma in Shimla. Sharma provided the team with comprehensive details about the damage caused by landslides, cloudbursts, and floods, severely affecting roads, irrigation systems, and residential areas across Himachal Pradesh. The team will now prepare its report and present it to the central government, which will determine the extent of assistance to be provided.
During the briefing, Sharma emphasized that the state’s estimated loss stands at ₹1,613.50 crore, affecting critical infrastructure and daily life. Senior officials from various departments, including Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) Kamlesh Kumar Pant, Principal Secretary (Transport) RD Nazim, Secretary Public Works Department Dr. Abhishek Jain, and others, were present to discuss the situation.
Call for Revised Relief Policies
The state government also pressed for revising the national relief manual to address the specific challenges faced by hilly states like Himachal Pradesh. Sharma stressed that timely relief is essential for affected communities and the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure. He further called for additional resources from the Centre to enhance the state’s disaster preparedness in the face of recurrent natural disasters.
The state’s request comes when landslides and floods have frequently disrupted life in various districts, causing immense economic and infrastructural setbacks.
The IMCT assured the state that its request for liberal financial aid would be reviewed sympathetically. The team visited several disaster-hit areas over the past three days, engaging with affected families and conducting an on-the-spot assessment of the damage. Disaster Management Director and Special Secretary DC Rana thanked the central team for their timely evaluation of the situation.
As the state awaits central assistance, it is committed to improving disaster management and mitigating the risks posed by future natural calamities, with hopes that the Centre will respond with much-needed financial aid to help rebuild affected regions.
