₹3,400 cr monsoon-related losses: Himachal seeks higher central funding for disaster mitigation

Special Secretary, disaster management, Pushpendra Rana said the team was scheduled to reach Shimla on Wednesday evening. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is also scheduled to meet the central team in Shimla.

Himachal Pradesh has pegged its monsoon-related losses at around ₹3,400 crore, with damage to roads and bridges accounting for the largest share, as a seven-member inter-ministerial central team (IMCT) led by Union home ministry joint secretary M Ramachandrudu began an assessment tour on September 28.

The public works department (PWD) alone had suffered losses of around ₹2,500 crore, while the jal shakti department reported damage of approximately ₹385 crore. (HT File)

The state has also sought a substantial increase in central funding for disaster mitigation works.

The state government has sought around ₹3,200 crore from the Centre for the current monsoon losses. The central team has visited areas in Chamba, Kangra and Kullu districts, including Banjar and Sainj, to assess the damage.

Special Secretary, disaster management, Pushpendra Rana said 380 deaths have been reported, including 127 in disaster-related fatalities and more than 200 road accidents.

Interim assessment showed that the public works department (PWD) alone had suffered losses of around ₹2,500 crore, while the jal shakti department reported damage of approximately ₹385 crore, Rana said.

“According to the interim report, the total damage in Himachal Pradesh during this monsoon season is around ₹3,400 crore. The maximum share is in roads and bridges under the PWD, at around ₹2,500 crore. Jal Shakti has also suffered losses of around ₹385 crore,” Rana added.

The power department had suffered damage estimated at ₹21 crore, while the education department had reported approximately ₹14 crore in losses. Agriculture-related damage had also been included in the overall assessment.

Rana said the state government had submitted its damage assessment to the Centre and was preparing to present the details before the IMCT.

Rana said the team was scheduled to reach Shimla on Wednesday evening, following which the state government would brief its members about the overall losses caused by the monsoon. Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is also scheduled to meet the central team in Shimla, he said.

Meanwhile, revenue, horticulture and tribal development minister, Jagat Singh Negi, sought a substantial increase in central funding for disaster mitigation, saying relief after disasters alone cannot address the recurring risks posed by landslides, flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods and damage to rivers and streams.

“The state needs at least ₹1,000 crore annually from the Centre specifically for mitigation works. Whatever comes through the regular disaster mechanism is only a small part of the losses suffered by the state. We need a special package,” he said, adding that the Centre had already approved an advance release of ₹193.95 crore as the second instalment of its share of the State Disaster Response Fund in August 2026.

“The focus should now shift from post-disaster relief to preventive mitigation. Himachal’s fragile geology requires significantly larger investments in strengthening riverbanks, drains, flood-prone zones and vulnerable infrastructure,” he said.

The World Bank has approved a $245-million ( ₹2,300 crore) resilience project for Himachal Pradesh aimed at strengthening disaster recovery and climate resilience, including resilient infrastructure and early-warning systems.