Declare Himachal calamity a national disaster, provide special relief package: CM Sukhu to PM

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the rain-caused calamity in the hill state a national disaster.

Sukhu was the only chief minister from the Congress-ruled states who attended a dinner hosted by President Droupadi Murmu for G20 leaders on Saturday.

In a post on X on Sunday, he said: “Had the privilege of addressing the grave aftermath of torrential rains in Himachal Pradesh during my conversation with Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji after our G20 Summit dinner. I also requested a special disaster relief package and emphasised the need to designate this calamity as a ‘national disaster’, highlighting the urgency of the situation.”

An official statement said Sukhu has conveyed the gravity of the damage suffered by the hill state during the monsoon season to the prime minister and appealed to him to declare the rain-related incidents a “national disaster”.

The chief minister has also told Modi that Himachal Pradesh requires substantial assistance from the Union government to chart a path towards recovery and requested him to announce a special relief package for the state.

Sukhu, who had earlier said Himachal Pradesh had suffered losses to the tune of Rs 12,000 crore due to rain-related incidents this monsoon.