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Post-disaster needs assessment is Himachal’s right, will approach top court if needed: CM Sukhu

By, Dharamshala
Dec 21, 2024 10:31 PM IST

The proposal for the discussion on the matter was brought by Congress legislator Chander Shekhar on the fourth and last day of the winter session of the Himachal legislative assembly

During a discussion on the post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA), chief minister (CM) Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu told the Himachal legislative assembly on Saturday that the state government would approach the Supreme Court, if necessary, to secure the rights of Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu speaks on the last day of the assembly winter session in Dharamshala on Saturday. (HT Photo)
Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu speaks on the last day of the assembly winter session in Dharamshala on Saturday. (HT Photo)

The proposal for the discussion on the matter was brought by Congress legislator Chander Shekhar on the fourth and last day of the winter session of the Himachal legislative assembly. CM Sukhu, while discussing the issue in the house, said the state was faced with an unprecedented situation due to the disaster during the monsoon in 2023.

“After the disaster, the central team visited the state and losses of over 9,905 crore were estimated. For the last 18 months, the central government has stopped our PDNA. In the times to come, I will again meet the ministers of the Centre and take up the matter of PDNA, which is the right of Himachal Pradesh, with them. We will fight for our rights. If they do not give us our rights, we will go to SC and fight for PDNA, which is the right of the people of Himachal,” he said.

“There are ways to fight and several states approached the Supreme Court for their rights and if we felt the need we will also approach the Supreme Court for the rights of Himachal Pradesh. We know how to take our rights from the Central government and we do not need BJP leaders. If they want they can support us on this matter otherwise we do not need them,” he told the house.

During the discussion on the issue, the BJP legislators left the house over the issue of the language used in the proposal brought by Shekar. However, the speaker of the house, Kuldeep Singh Pathania, announced that their protest will not go on record.

Shekhar said during the monsoon 2023, due to the disaster, private and public properties were damaged heavily and the unprecedented tragedy resulted in the loss of life as well. “The state suffered a loss of over 9,905 crore. The inter-ministerial central team visited the state twice. The amount required for reconstruction and rehabilitation under post-disaster need assessments (PDNA) was estimated at 9,042 crore,” he said.

“Chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has repeatedly requested the Union to release 9,042 crore to the state under the PDNA, but till now no amount has been received from the Centre due to which reconstruction and restoration work in the state has been affected,” he told the house.

Deputy chief minister Mukesh Agnihotri, while condemning the behaviour of the BJP legislators in the House, said the CM should not ask them for their support and should take the cabinet members to Delhi to seek the rights of the state. “The way they have raised the slogans while the house was discussing the issues of Himachal’s rights, it shows their seriousness about the welfare of the state,” he said.

CAG report tabled in assembly

Meanwhile, on the final day of the winter session on Saturday, the state government also tabled the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on public health infra and management of health services (Report no 2 of 2024).

The report highlights significant challenges in the state’s healthcare system over the past five years, with staffing shortages emerging as the most pressing issue, resulting in severe strain on healthcare services. CAG has recommended urgent recruitment drives to fill these gaps, particularly to enhance access to healthcare in rural areas.

According to the findings of the report, the state’s healthcare sector faces a staggering 41.87% shortage in human resources, with a critical lack of doctors and specialists across various levels of healthcare facilities. In medical college hospitals and district hospitals, the shortage of doctors ranges from 9% to 56%, while the deficit of specialists in some areas reaches as high as 49%.

Issues of tax evasion by hotels raised

Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania, while speaking in the House on Saturday, raised the issue of encroachment and tax evasion by hotels in the state. “There are hotels that are running more rooms and paying tax on only a few rooms. They need 14 types of NOC from various departments but still, there are violations. I want that a one-time settlement scheme should be brought so that the government will raise the revenue from it,” Pathania said.

CM Sukhu said, “The issue raised by the legislator will be properly examined before deciding on regularising the violations.”

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