“Himachal Pradesh has suffered extensive damage due to natural disasters, and the state government stands firmly with the affected families,” he said, adding that the government is extending all possible support to people with its limited resources.
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Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that if required, the government will reduce its own expenditures to generate resources, and such measures will soon be visible.
“Himachal Pradesh has suffered extensive damage due to natural disasters, and the state government stands firmly with the affected families,” he said, adding that the government is extending all possible support to people with its limited resources.
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“Once the Disaster Management Act is enforced, necessary steps will be taken to assist all affected families,” he said while replying to a question raised by MLA Sanjay Awasthi and supplementary questions by legislators Sanjay Rattan, Vivek Sharma, Kuldeep Rathore, and Ram Kumar during the Question Hour in the Assembly on Tuesday.
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He said the state government is seeking permission from the Centre to allot one bigha of forest land to landless people.
He further assured that the government is ready to provide land to those rendered homeless by the disaster for the construction of houses, but since the matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Government of India, clearances under the FRA and FCA are being pursued.
The state government will also assist people in rebuilding damaged houses and in claiming compensation for crop losses. Earlier, MLA Sanjay Awasthi said that the Chief Minister has already enhanced the relief amount for disaster-affected families.
He pointed out that due to delays in FCA clearance, land could not be allotted for house construction, and therefore, many victims have not received relief.
He urged that opposition members should also be involved in resolving pending issues related to FCA. MLA Sanjay Rattan also raised concerns, saying that because of FCA and FRA provisions, disaster-affected families are still waiting for land to build homes.
He further asked when the compensation would be disbursed, especially now that Himachal has been declared a disaster-affected state.
MLA Kuldeep Rathore drew attention to the severe damage suffered by apple orchards and sought clarity on whether orchardists would also receive relief.
The Chief Minister responded that all aspects of the disaster will be considered, and compensation will also cover losses suffered by apple growers.
Replying to the original question, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that during 2023, natural disasters affected 1,080 families in the Arki and Nalagarh sub-divisions—121 families in Arki and 959 in Nalagarh.
He said that financial assistance amounting to over Rs. 10.68 crore has already been provided to 1,078 families, out of which Rs. 3.08 crore was released from the State Disaster Response Fund and Rs. 7.60 crore from the National Disaster Response Fund.
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