Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri and revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi slammed state BJP leaders for “misguiding people on relief and rehabilitation efforts of the state government for political gain”.
In a press statement issued here on Friday, the duo said the Himachal BJP was responsible for not getting ₹4,950 crore of disaster claims from the central government.
“It is because of the irrational and insensitive approach of state BJP leaders that the Centre has withheld this amount. The first claim note of ₹6,746 crore for the loss due to the disaster was sent by the state government to the Centre on August 10, 2023, and a revised claim note of ₹9,900 crore has been sent on October 10, 2023,” they said.
The deputy chief minister and revenue minister said that 50% of the total claim of ₹4,950 crore was the right of the state. The GoI should immediately release this amount so that the rehabilitation and reconstruction work can be expedited.
They said, “It is unfortunate that till now the Centre has not given even a single penny of its righteous claim to Himachal. Three teams from the Centre have so far visited the state and returned after assessing the damage caused by floods and heavy rains, but all in vain. The claim amount is the right of the state. It is available to all the states in case of natural disaster, and it cannot be stopped on political grounds,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}They said, “It is unfortunate that till now the Centre has not given even a single penny of its righteous claim to Himachal. Three teams from the Centre have so far visited the state and returned after assessing the damage caused by floods and heavy rains, but all in vain. The claim amount is the right of the state. It is available to all the states in case of natural disaster, and it cannot be stopped on political grounds,” they said.
{{/usCountry}}“The Centre neither declared the disaster in Himachal as a national disaster nor gave any special relief package to recover from this natural calamity,” they added.