Nadda hails Central grant okayed for 2023 monsoon damages

Against a request for Rs 9,000 crore as Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) for the 2023 monsoon damages, the Centre has approved a sum of Rs 2006.40 crore for Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukh had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, seeking grant of the PDNA amount so as to undertake reconstruction of the damage caused to infrastructure, especially roads and bridges due to unprecedented rains.

Sources said the amount of over Rs 9,000 crore which Himachal Government had sought as PDNA had been reduced to about Rs 3,000 crore by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which was finally reduced to Rs 2,006.40 crore by the Union Finance Ministry.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda today thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for Rs 2006.40 crore the Recovery and Reconstruction Plan to Himachal. “The money approved by the Centre will help in reconstruction for the damage caused amount due to natural disasters of floods, landslides, cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh in the year 2023,” Nadda said.

“The financial assistance provided by the Modi government in dealing with the crisis in Himachal and providing relief to the disaster victims is an important support to the disaster-affected people of Himachal,” said Nadda.

He said a high level committee chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved the ‘Recovery and Reconstruction Plan’ for Himachal Pradesh after the flood, landslide, cloudburst incident of 2023 with a total outlay of Rs 2006.40 crore.

“PM Modi has always backed the state governments during natural and other disasters. During the financial year 2024-25, the Central Government released Rs 20,264.40 crore to 28 states under State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and Rs 5,160.76 crore to 19 states under National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Nadda said the Centre has taken several initiatives to ensure effective management of disasters in the country. Several steps have been taken to prevent major loss of life and property during disasters by strengthening the Disaster Risk Reduction system in India, he added.

Himachal Tribune