Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that the Himachal Pradesh government will provide one bigha of land to families affected by recent disasters to help them rebuild their homes. Since the state does not have its own land due to most areas being under the Forest Conservation Act, a proposal will be sent to the Centre for approval.
The announcement came during a discussion in the Vidhan Sabha on the widespread destruction caused by recent monsoon disasters. Heavy rains, landslides, and flash floods damaged over 15,000 houses and swept away roads, bridges, and other infrastructure, causing estimated losses exceeding ₹10,000 crore. Entire villages were cut off due to road damage, and homes near riverbeds were washed away.
During the House discussion, when Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi rose to respond to questions on disaster relief, the opposition staged a walkout. Criticising the move, Chief Minister Sukhu said, “The Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur himself brought the proposal to discuss the disaster in the House. Now, when the Revenue Minister is answering, he is not present. In his absence, BJP MLAs walked out. This shows how sensitive they are towards disaster-affected families.”
Sukhu emphasised that disasters cannot be predicted and pointed to recent calamities in Uttarakhand and Kishtwar as examples. “We are committed to supporting every affected family,” he said, adding that political games should not take priority over relief efforts.
Providing land is considered a crucial step in rehabilitation, enabling displaced families to rebuild safely away from high-risk areas. The government plans to implement the disaster relief package across the state to ensure long-term support and safer reconstruction for the affected communities.
