Shimla, (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday thanked the government of Assam and Uttrakhand for donating Rs 10 crore and Rs 5 crore each towards the Aapada Rahat Kosh-2023, or the state disaster relief fund. He said that the funds will go a long way in supplementing relief measures being undertaken by Himachal Pradesh for the victims of rain, floods and landslides. Sukhu expressed his gratitude to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for providing assistance at a time when Himachal was recovering from climatic devastation.
Earlier, Haryana, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh had also provided help of over Rs 65 crore to the state to help it in its relief and rehabilitation work. Temple trusts, NGOs and several individuals have also come forward to help.
Heavy rain in the months of July and August caused huge damage to the road infrastructure, water supply schemes, buildings and other private and public property in Himachal Pradesh. Till date, 293 persons have died in rain-related incidents since the onset of the monsoon season on June 24. The CM had earlier claimed that the state suffered losses to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore. Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha had on September 20 adopted a resolution by voice vote, urging the Union government to declare the calamity in the state a national disaster and declare a special relief package of Rs 12,000 crore for the state.
