Shimla, Aug. 17 — Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday unveiled a ₹100 crore immediate relief package for families hit by recent natural disasters, alongside a ₹3,000 crore project aimed at long-term mitigation and livelihood restoration. Speaking at the state-level Independence Day function in Sarkaghat, Mandi district, he underscored the escalating toll of climate change and frequent monsoon calamities on the hill state.
Referring to the devastating 2023 monsoon, which caused losses estimated at ₹10,000 crore, Sukhu criticised the delayed and insufficient Central assistance of ₹1,500 crore, delivered only after two years. He noted that this year, despite heavy losses—especially in Mandi—the state has yet to receive any aid from the Centre.
To bridge the gap, the state has already mobilised ₹360.42 crore and is now injecting an additional ₹100 crore from its own funds for emergency relief. Under a revised compensation scheme, the government raised assistance for completely destroyed houses from ₹1.3 lakh to ₹7 lakh, and for partially damaged homes from ₹12,500 to ₹1 lakh. Moreover, houses deemed uninhabitable will be eligible for full compensation.
