Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said he had urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to visit the disaster-affected areas to personally assess the situation.
Interacting with media persons here on Thursday, he claimed that the home minister assured him to visit the affected areas shortly.
He further said that discussions were also held with Union Health Minister J P Nadda, who has assured to consider all the demands sympathetically made by the state. “We do not want any credit and the state government is ready to meet with anyone under his leadership for the welfare of disaster-hit people,” he said.
Sukhu said during his New Delhi visit, he has taken up several key issues with the Union ministers, including a request to allow the allotment of five bighas land under FRA, to rehabilitate the affected families suitably.
The state government will soon announce a special relief package for the disaster affected families, after due consultation with the Cabinet, he said, adding that the state government has limited resources and it was not possible to compensate for the damages without liberal help from the union government.
Therefore, the state has sought a special relief package from the Union government to support the rehabilitation of the families, who have lost their homes, agricultural land and livelihood, he added.
He said, “Monsoon has just begun and there is a long remaining span of the season. So, we must remain vigilant throughout its course.”
In response to a question, Sukhu said he has also met Union Surface and Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari and demanded that the critical infrastructure projects, including Bhubhu Jot tunnel project to benefit the people of the state should be expedited. “I also discussed with him the issue of collapsed building at Dhalli. He has promised to compensate the affected family suitably.”
He said the state government has urged the Ministry to focus on tunneling for constructing Shimla-Shalaghat package of Shimla-Mataur four lane, to faster implementation of the Nalagarh-Pinjore road and Nalagarh-Gara Maur project. He has also asked for extension of the Dhalli-Sainj four lane upto Rampur.
The chief minister said he has also met Chairman 16th Finance Commission Arvind Panagariya and urged the Commission to support the state in its recommendations keeping in view the conditions of the state.