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Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday distributed Rs 31 crore financial assistance as the first installment in the first phase to 3800 disaster affected families of district Mandi under the 'Rehabilitation' scheme. Under the special relief package, he provided Rs 3 lakh each as the first installment for reconstruction of completely damaged houses and the entire amount of compensation to other affected people.

Sukhu said that Himachal Pradesh had suffered huge losses due to torrential rains, landslides and floods during Monsoon season this year, adding that he had never seen such a disaster in his life. He said that every section of the society had come forward to tackle this challenge and all his cabinet colleagues, MLAs and all public representatives showed solidarity to work in unison to overcome this disastrous situation. He said that 75 thousand tourists stranded in the state were evacuated as a mission. Electricity, water and other essential facilities were temporarily restored within 48 hours. He said that the State had suffered over a loss of Rs 12000 crore due to the disaster.

The CM said that the present state government is the government of the common man and poor and recognizes their pain and sufferings very well, adding that the state government does not work on political considerations, but takes decisions on humanitarian grounds. He said that relief and rescue operations were undertaken in every affected area without any discrimination or political alignment of the public representatives of the area concerned.

Sukhu said that he had repeatedly urged the Central Government to declare the disaster as a national disaster and demanded a special relief package for Himachal Pradesh to overcome this disaster. He said that he had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but till now no financial assistance has been received as a special relief package. He said that Congress MP Pratibha Singh also met the Prime Minister and demanded to help Himachal Pradesh in this hour of disaster.  Not only this, even when a resolution was brought during the recently concluded Assembly session to declare the disaster in Himachal Pradesh as a national disaster, the BJP MLAs did not respond positively for the betterment of the affected people of the State.  

He said that to help the disaster affected people, the State Government has created a Aapda Rahat Kosh in which a historic Rs 230 crore have been contributed by various organizations and individuals, which reflects the humanitarian approach of the people of the State. He said that even children donated their piggy banks towards Aapda Rahat Kosh. He said that the State Government has so far sent claims worth Rs 10 thousand crore to the Central Government and the process of submitting  remaining claims worth Rs 2 thousand crore is underway.

He said that the State Government has enhanced compensation given in case of a completely damaged house by five and a half times to Rs 7 lakh from Rs 1.30 lakh. Apart from this, the State Government will provide free electricity and water connection and cement on Rs 280 per bag on government rates for construction of houses. Apart from this, the compensation given in case of partial damage to kutcha and pucca houses has been increased to Rs one lakh under the Special Relief Package.

Sukhu said that the compensation given for damage to shops and dhabas has been increased four times from Rs 25 thousand to Rs one lakh. The state government has also increased compensation being given for the loss of cow shed from Rs 3 thousand to Rs 50 thousand. The state government has enhanced the amount of Rs 2500 being given to tenants for the loss of their belongings by 20 times and will provide an assistance amount of Rs 50 thousand.

Congress State President and MP Pratibha Singh appreciated the efforts of the State Government and especially the Chief Minister for effectively tackling the unprecedented situation created by the disaster.  She lauded the decision of the State Government for providing a package of Rs 4500 crore for the disaster affected people. She also commended the Chief Minister for donating Rs 51 lakh from his savings towards Aapda Rahat Kosh to help the needy which shows his concern for the affected families. She wrote a letter to all the BJP MPs urging them to meet the PM in the hour of disaster but no BJP MP responded to it, she added.

MLA Chandershekhar said that 44 people lost their lives and people suffered huge losses in Mandi district during the disaster. Another MLA Anil Sharma said that he had never seen such a huge tragedy earlier in his life. He congratulated the officers and employees for their better work during the disaster and said that help was provided to every affected person. He expressed his gratitude to the State Government for providing a special relief package of Rs 4500 crore to help the disaster affected people.