himachal-in-financial-crisis-will-seek-pm-s-help-jai-ram-thakur

Leader of the Opposition, Jai Ram Thakur, has urged the Himachal Pradesh government to announce a special financial package for the flood-hit regions of Seraj, Nachan, Karsog, and other parts of Mandi district. He said the damage in these areas is estimated at over ₹1,235 crore, with Seraj alone suffering losses worth ₹1,000 crore.

 

“Considering the financial constraints faced by the state government, the Central Government must extend financial help for which I will personally meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. An inter-ministerial high-level team from the Central Government has visited Mandi to assess the damage caused,” he added.

 

Speaking to the media, Thakur said project-specific financial support should be given so that the money is used properly. He criticised the state government for not taking the disaster seriously, even though 42 people lost their lives and several villages were wiped out in the June 30 cloudbursts and flash floods.

 

“I am pained that the state government has so far not taken the tragedy seriously,” he added.

 

Thakur further added that 42 people lost their lives, 29 are still missing while thousands of villagers had been rendered homeless. He returned to the state capital for the first time after cloudbursts and flashfloods hit Seraj, Nachan and Karsog areas of Mandi district.

 

 “It’s sad that instead of focusing on relief, the Chief Minister tried to politicise the issue by saying I should have stayed in Seraj for 10 days,” he added.

 

He said, “It is my moral responsibility to share the grief of my people with whom I have an emotional connect for the past 30 years. I have devoted a major portion of my life building Seraj. The Revenue Minister’s statements that one understands other’s pain only when his own shoe hurts is very unfortunate.”

 

He said it was unfortunate that a senior officer wasn’t sent to Seraj after the disaster — only a Patwari was present. Thakur said project specific aid should be given to ensure proper utilisation of funds.

 

Thakur also objected to the government’s reported plan to shift offices and institutes like the Horticulture College and Panchayati Raj Training Institute out of Seraj after the rain disaster. “Shimla suffered heavy damage in 2023 — was the capital shifted then?” he asked.