Himachal floods: CM Sukhu calls on Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman; seeks Rs 2,000 cr aid for relief and restoration

New Delhi, August 3: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to grant an immediate aid of Rs 2,000 crore for carrying out relief and restoration works in the flood-hit parts of Himachal Pradesh.

Talking to the media, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said, "I met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in regard to the natural disaster that occurred in Himachal Pradesh and discussed interim relief for the state."

Earlier on Tuesday, CM Sukhu and Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari jointly assessed the aftermath of the recent disaster that ravaged the Kullu district.

Both leaders visited the flood-hit areas, including Bada Bhuiyan, Deodhar, Shirad, Klath, and Aloo Ground Manali and interacted with the people affected by the calamity, besides seeking insights into their concerns during this challenging time.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said, "People have suffered immensely and the situation was even worse than they would have imagined otherwise. There has been unprecedented damage to the roads, bridges and private property due to flash floods, landslides and cloudbursts triggered by heavy rains. He said that Rs 400 crore will be released by the Union Government under Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) so that repair and restoration works can be undertaken on a war footing."

Meanwhile, on July 23,  CM Sukhu had said the state had faced the harshest rain and flood disasters in the past 75 years. He said the loss incurred by the state due to the rain-induced damages could reach Rs 8,000 crore.

The Chief Minister said there was a need for immediate financial relief from the Union Government.

"A central team has visited the state. We have demanded the pending Rs 315 crore of the 2022-23 disaster fund from the Union Government. The loss is estimated to be Rs 8,000 crore. We are trying to restore the roads, electricity and water supply in the region," said the Chief Minister while talking to the media.

The Chief Minister said Himachal need immediate relief from the Union Government in this disaster situation. On the continuous heavy rain alert, he said teams were ready and the priority was to save the lives of the people.

- With inputs from agencies

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