The Himachal Pradesh Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Wednesday, appealing to the Central government to classify the recent calamity in the state as a national disaster. The resolution, adopted by voice vote, also requested a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore from the Union government.
Addressing the Assembly, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu underlined the extensive devastation caused by massive landslides, substantial road damage, impairment to power projects, and significant losses to both private and public properties. Given these circumstances, he asserted that declaring the calamity a national disaster was a necessary step.
The state has witnessed a grim toll from rain-related incidents, with 275 casualties reported so far. Over 2,600 houses have been completely destroyed in the wake of the calamity. The Public Works Department and the Jal Shakti Department have incurred substantial losses of Rs 2,941 crore and Rs 2,118 crore, respectively. The resolution passed by the Assembly aims to garner additional support and resources to help the affected region recover and rebuild.
CM Sukhu urges Centre
Earlier, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu has pressed the Union government to recognise the recent disaster in the state as a national calamity. CM Sukhu made this appeal during a G20 dinner where he discussed the matter with the Prime Minister.
He also requested a special relief package for the state. "The state government has been consistently urging the central government to declare the disaster here a national calamity. Additionally, we have been requesting the Central Government to provide a special relief package for Himachal, but both these requests have been unheeded so far," CM Sukhu stated.
The Chief Minister assured that he will provide comprehensive answers to all questions from the opposition during the upcoming monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly.
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