Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said it was still unclear whether the Rs 1,500 crore announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a special relief package or aid under existing schemes.
Speaking to reporters after Modi’s visit to Kangra, Sukhu said he had requested a special package from the Centre, as the state’s resources were not enough to handle the massive destruction caused by heavy rains.
“I have requested the Prime Minister to sanction a special relief package of Rs 5,000 crore to meet the immediate needs of the state, considering that the overall damage losses may exceed Rs 10,000 crore,” he said.
He stressed the urgency of timely help. “Relief delayed is relief denied. People need help now, not months later,” he added.
He also requested the Prime Minister to amend the laws that delay compensation of Rs 4 lakh for missing persons, as families currently have to wait seven years for a death certificate to be issued.
The CM said he had sought relaxation in the Forest Conservation Act so that families displaced by the disaster could be resettled on forestland, as 68 per cent of Himachal’s land is under forest. He also asked the Centre to raise the borrowing limit by 2 per cent to make more funds available for relief.
“We have apprised the Prime Minister of the ground reality. The rehabilitation of the displaced people is the top priority of the government, but the existing forest laws are a major hurdle, as 68 per cent of the state’s land has been classified as forest under the 1950 Act, including wastelands, restricting resettlement efforts. “The current laws do not allow us to even transfer one bigha to the displaced families,” he said.
Sukhu urged the Centre to change these laws and also revise current norms for disaster losses. He explained that repairing damaged projects often costs more than building new ones, but such expenses are not covered under the present framework. “So far, we are receiving too low and too late. Many hydroelectric power projects in the state often remain shut for months after floods, yet such losses are not accounted for under the present framework,” he added.
He asked the Central Government to take into account Himachal’s unique challenges due to its tough geography. “The Prime Minister gave us a serious and patient hearing. We are hopeful of meaning assistance, given his long standing association with Himachal and deep understanding of the state’s challenges.”
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