New Delhi [India], July 15 : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital on Tuesday and apprised him of the extensive damage caused by flash floods and cloudburst in the state, amounting to around Rs 1000 crore, even as the monsoon has only just begun.
According to an official statement, CM Sukhu informed Shah that precious lives had been lost and key infrastructure, including roads, bridges, buildings, irrigation schemes, water supply schemes and electricity supply systems, had been severely affected during this disaster.
The statement further said that the Union Home Minister assured the Chief Minister of all possible assistance to the state. "The Chief Minister requested liberal support from the Central Government for relief and restoration works. He further said that natural disasters had become a recurring phenomenon since 2023 and the state had incurred cumulative losses of approximately Rs 21,000 crore over the last three years," the statement read.
He added that the state government was making every effort to provide relief to the affected people through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). "However, due to the repeated occurrence of such disasters, it had become increasingly difficult for the state to undertake restoration works and rebuild infrastructure with its limited resources," the statement added.
CM Sukhu also pointed out that the existing guidelines set by the Central Government regarding the sanctioning of relief and restoration activities were inadequate, considering the state's difficult topographical conditions.
He strongly urged amendments to the existing norms, specifically raising the current limit from 10 per cent to 30 per cent, which would provide significant support to the state in its relief and restoration efforts.
Earlier on July 14, the CM also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and sought a relaxation in the state's borrowing limits. "He requested an enhancement in the borrowing limit (FRBM) so that more help can be extended to the people. The focus remains on a special package, particularly for the Siraj region of Mandi district," said the Principal Media Advisor to the Chief Minister, Naresh Chauhan.
The damage across the state is already estimated to be over Rs 1,000 crore, with the monsoon expected to last another month. Chauhan also warned, "The loss figure will rise."