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Officials must step up efforts to help people: Anurag in Himachal’s Mandi
Along with distributing relief, Thakur also issued necessary instructions to officials regarding relief and rehabilitation work
BJP MP from Hamirpur and former Union minister Anurag Thakur on Monday visited the disaster-hit areas of Mandi district and met the affected families in Bagsaid, Thunag and Seraj Bazar of the Seraj assembly constituency.
Along with distributing relief, Thakur also issued necessary instructions to officials regarding relief and rehabilitation work.
“The scale of the natural disaster in Himachal, especially in the Mandi region is extremely alarming. The tragedy has caused damage worth thousands of crores, and the loss of life and property is deeply distressing,” he said.
“In this hour of grief, the BJP has remained active on the ground to support the people. We have distributed relief material such as ration, utensils, medicines, and provided medical assistance—and we will continue to do so. Our elected representatives are doing their part and will keep working. As for central government support, the army and NDRF have extended help in the past, and the Centre continues to do so. There has never been any shortage of support from the Centre—and there never will be,” he said.
State govt committed to provide all possible help: Health minister
Meanwhile, Himachal health minister Dhani Ram Shandil also visited the disaster affected areas in Seraj on Monday and took stock of the damage and relief and rehabilitation work. He met the disaster affected people and expressed the commitment of the state government to stand united with them and provide all possible help.
He said that the state government has taken effective steps for relief and rehabilitation work in Seraj assembly constituency. “The state government has released seven crore rupees to the Seraj area with immediate effect. The families who became homeless in the disaster will be provided ₹7 lakh for house construction and five thousand rupees per month as house rent for six months. The state government will also give compensation for the goods and livestock of damaged houses,” the minister said.
Shandil said that the revenue officials have been instructed to assess all types of damage. “The damage caused to flower cultivation and apple cultivation will be assessed. The state government will consider bringing a one-time policy for rehabilitating the disaster affected people,” he said.
Waive off KCC loans of disaster affected people: Jai Ram
Meanwhile, leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said that due to the disaster, all structures related to horticulture, agriculture and floriculture have been completely destroyed. “These sectors are the main sources of livelihood for the people here and their devastation has left many struggling. Many farmers had undertaken this work by taking loans through the Kisan Credit Card. Now, with everything destroyed, the loans remain while the means to repay them are gone. Therefore, I urge the government to make arrangements to waive off the Kisan Credit Card loans of the disaster-affected people so they can be spared the double burden of a natural disaster and bank interest,” he said.
