In the wake of the devastating landslides, flash floods, and cloudbursts caused by heavy monsoon rains in Himachal Pradesh, the state government has taken a significant step towards providing relief to the affected victims. On Monday, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced an increase in compensation for several categories of damages.
The enhanced financial assistance will be extended to families who have been severely impacted by the natural calamities that occurred between July 7 and July 15. Chief Minister Sukhu, in a statement released in the state capital, expressed the government's commitment to providing support during these challenging times.
Earlier, on July 11, a compensation of Rs 1 lakh was announced for the affected families. However, the government recognized the need to do more and decided to amend the existing relief manual to augment the aid.
As per the current relief manual, each disaster victim is eligible for Rs 5,000 as assistance. However, in light of the unprecedented tragedy, the compensation for various damages has been significantly increased. The revision covers damages to houses, dhabas (roadside eateries), shops, as well as agriculture and horticulture lands.
For instance, the financial aid for partial damage to pucca (permanent) houses has been raised from Rs 12,500 to Rs 1 lakh. Similarly, for kutcha (temporary) houses, the compensation has been increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh. This move aims to help the affected families rebuild their homes and restore a sense of normalcy.
Furthermore, businesses that suffered losses in the calamity will also receive more substantial support. The compensation for damage to shops and dhabas has been elevated from Rs 10,000 to Rs 1 lakh. Moreover, the government has increased the compensation for damage to tenants' goods from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.
In addition to these measures, the state government has also raised the compensation for damages to agriculture and horticulture lands across various categories, according to the official statement. The natural disasters have had a severe impact on Himachal Pradesh, with 56 landslides and 43 flash floods causing extensive damage since the onset of the monsoon on June 24.
The estimated losses have reached a staggering figure of approximately Rs 4,636 crore. The devastation has resulted in 490 houses being completely destroyed, while 4,146 houses and 133 shops have suffered partial damage.
