Declare National Disaster, provide Special Relief Package to Himachal: CM Sukhu appeals to PM Modi
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu attended a dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu on the occasion of the G-20 Summit at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on Saturday. At the event, the Chief Minister met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed various issues related to the interests of the state.
Sh. Sukhu conveyed the gravity of the damages caused by the natural disaster during the monsoon and appealed to the Prime Minister to declare it a ‘National Disaster’. The Chief Minister highlighted that over 400 people have lost their lives due to the calamity and over 13 thousand houses were damaged, leaving thousands of families homeless. He added that as a result of the disaster, the state has suffered cumulative losses exceeding Rs. 12,000 crore.
Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stated that Himachal requires substantial assistance from the Union government to rebuild and chart a path toward recovery. He further urged the Prime Minister to release a special relief package to Himachal Pradesh, drawing a parallel to the support provided during the Bhuj and Kedarnath tragedies.
The Prime Minister listened intently to the Chief Minister’s concerns and assured that the demands would be considered sympathetically.
Dignitaries including US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Australian PM Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Presidents and Prime Ministers from other countries, representatives of 19 invited countries, dignitaries from various international organizations, including the United Nations, International Monetary Fund and World Health Organization, Union cabinet ministers and chief ministers of various states attended the dinner.