Himachal CM announces Rs 4,500 crore disaster relief package with enhanced compensation

Shimla, Sep 30 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu on Saturday announced a special relief package for people affected by rain-related disasters with the compensation increased by 25 times.

The government is spending Rs 4,500 crore to deal with the disaster, out of which Rs 750 crore will be spent for restoration and rehabilitation and Rs 1,000 crore for MNREGA, he said here.

The Chief Minister told the media that the compensation of Rs 1.30 lakh for a completely damaged house has been increased five and a half times to Rs 7 lakh. About 3,500 houses have been completely damaged. Besides, the compensation of Rs 4,000 for partial damage to a 'kutcha' house has been increased by 25 times to Rs 1 lakh. The compensation for partial damage to a 'pucca' house has been increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 1 lakh.

Sukhu said that 6.930 ‘kutcha’ houses and 5,549 ‘pucca’ houses have been partially damaged in the state.

The Chief Minister said the compensation of Rs 25,000 given in case of damage to a shop or dhaba has also been increased four times to Rs 1 lakh. The government will provide increased financial assistance of Rs 50,000 instead of Rs 3,000 for damage to a cowshed. He said 670 shops and dhabas as well as 8,300 cow sheds have been damaged.

The Chief Minister said the government will provide an assistance of Rs 50,000 for damage or loss to the belongings of the tenants. Earlier, it was Rs 2,500. The number of affected people is 1,909.

He said the compensation for loss of cattle head has also been increased in the relief manual to Rs 55,000 per head. In the monsoon fury, 96 cows and buffaloes, 16 horses and donkeys, and six calves have died.

The Chief Minister said agriculture and horticulture have also suffered huge damage in the disaster. He said the earlier compensation of Rs 3,615 per bigha for damage to agricultural and horticultural land has been increased to Rs 10,000. The compensation on crop loss of Rs 500 per bigha has also been increased eight times to Rs 4,000. The financial assistance for removing silt from agricultural and horticultural land has also been increased from Rs 1,384.61 per bigha to Rs 5,000.

He said 37,899 bighas of agricultural land, 17,947 bighas of horticulture land in the state has been damaged, while crops on 26,490 bighas have also been damaged. Also, agricultural and horticultural land in 42 bighas has been damaged due to silt.

The Chief Minister said the government would also bear the cost of providing electricity and water connections to the under-construction houses that have been completely damaged. Cement will also be provided to these families at government rates to build new houses.

Sukhu said the disaster-affected families living in relief camps can move to rented accommodations and the government will provide Rs 5,000 as rent payment in rural areas and Rs 10,000 as rent in urban areas for six months from its own resources.