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Empty coffers, debt burden make rebuilding flood-hit Himachal uphill task
“Despite the financial crunch, we are managing to extend all possible assistance to them. We have been requesting the Centre to declare the disaster a national calamity and extend a special financial package to rebuild Himachal Pradesh,” Sukhu said.
With the state’s coffers empty, the debt burden at a record high and little support from the Centre, rebuilding flood-ravaged Himachal Pradesh is an uphill task for the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government.
This monsoon, torrential rains have triggered flash floods, cloudbursts and landslips, causing damage to six national highways besides 700 interior roads and loss to both public and private property. The chief minister has pegged the total loss at more than ₹10,000 crore so far. His biggest challenge is to rehabilitate people rendered homeless.
“Despite the financial crunch, we are managing to extend all possible assistance to them. We have been requesting the Centre to declare the disaster a national calamity and extend a special financial package to rebuild Himachal Pradesh. We have created the Aapda Rahat Kosh and have got help amounting to ₹35 crore from Congress- ruling Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls Himachal his second home, I urge him to support the state in its hour of crisis on the lines of help extended to Kedarnath and Bhuj. Himachal is no different, it deserves the same assistance,” Sukhu said.
He said his government’s debt burden had mounted to ₹75,000 crore and without financial help from the Centre, it could take a decade to rebuild the infrastructure.
“Despite our reports of the loss incurred and regardless of the visits of central teams to assess the same, we have not received any financial help from the Centre. Of the relief amount of ₹315 crore, pending for 3 years with the Centre, only ₹189 crore was released, whereas under the State Disaster Relief Fund, we have released ₹360 crore so far. The Centre released the first instalment of ₹180 crore in June and the second instalment of ₹180 crore that was to be received in December in advance. If we total the amount received as our share, it amounts to ₹549 crore, so our share is still pending with the Union government,” Sukhu said.
“However, with the support of the people of the state, Himachal Pradesh will be back on its feet. It will take time, at least four years, and in the next decade, we will become self-reliant. I’m sure we can, and we will overcome the challenges,” he said.
PWD worst hit
According to the State Disaster Management Authority, the public works department (PWD) has suffered the maximum loss of ₹3,000 crore. The department is responsible for maintaining roads and bridges, the lifeline of the hill state that has skeletal rail and air connectivity.
Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari had announced ₹400 crore for rebuilding roads and a ₹200-crore grant was approved by the Centre under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
“It’s a Herculean task. Repairing important roads in the first phase is our priority,” said PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh.
The Jal Shakti department has pegged its losses so far at ₹1,860 crore, the state electricity board at ₹1,707 crore, the agricultural department at ₹336 crore and the horticulture department at ₹173 crore.
Left high and dry
After the August 14 landslide that claimed 17 lives in Shimla, Sukhu reviewed the situation with BJP president Jagat Prakash Nadda and Union minister Anurag Singh Thakur, both of whom belong to the state. He sought immediate financial assistance of ₹2,000 crore on the lines of the Kedarnath and Bhuj calamities. Citing limitations in the relief manual that falls short of compensating for the losses, Sukhu changed the relief manual which earlier only gave ₹25,000 to the fully damaged houses while ₹10,000 to damaged houses. According to the new relief manual, the affected person will get ₹1,00,000 for the fully damaged houses and partially damaged houses. The government has also increased compensation for crop damage in the new relief manual. Sukhu suggested a tailor-made relief package.
“This catastrophe has pushed the state backwards for many years. Rebuilding is a challenging task for the state, and the Opposition is extending cooperation,” said Leader of Opposition Jairam Thakur.
“There is government at the Centre which wants to bring all opposition-ruled states on its knees. The Congress government in Himachal should keep pressing for funds,” says retired bureaucrat Deepak Sanan.
“This is the worst-ever catastrophe which has hit the state and will affect its economy in the near future. Presently, the government is in a fire-fighting mode trying to reach out to the affected families. Hopefully, the government will arrange money by September,” says chief secretary Pramod Saxena.
