Priyanka Gandhi, General Secretary of the Indian National Congress Committee, visited the disaster-affected areas of Shiv Bawari, Krishnanagar, and Kanlog in Shimla City to assess relief and rehabilitation efforts.
During her visit, Priyanka Gandhi met with affected families in Shiv Bawari and expressed condolences for the loss of life and property caused by the tragic mishap. She emphasized the severity of the devastation resulting from torrential rains during the monsoon season and urged the Union Government to declare it a National Disaster due to the extensive losses incurred.
Priyanka Gandhi Urges National Disaster Declaration For Himachal Pradesh
Priyanka Gandhi stated, “The situation in Himachal Pradesh is heart-wrenching, with the state suffering immense losses. Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s government is working tirelessly to provide relief to the affected people. It is essential for the Union Government to understand the gravity of the situation and rise above political differences to generously assist the state during this challenging time.”
She called for unity and collective efforts to aid Himachal Pradesh and announced that the Congress Party would raise the issue during a special session of Parliament, urging a special relief package for the state. Priyanka Gandhi stressed that certain matters needed attention from the Union Government, emphasizing that the response should not be politicized along party lines.
Priyanka Gandhi also praised the spirit of unity and cooperation demonstrated by people who were contributing selflessly to cope with the tragedy. She noted the reduced import duty on American apples, impacting Himachal’s apple growers, and criticized the Union Government for assisting Americans instead of the state’s growers who were already facing hardships.
Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced the state government’s unwavering support for affected families, despite limited resources. He revealed plans to provide fixed rent assistance to families staying in relief camps, offering Rs. 5000 in rural areas and Rs. 10000 in urban areas to cover rent expenses.
Due to the extensive devastation caused by the ongoing monsoon season, numerous temporary relief camps have been set up in various districts of the state. To address this, the government decided to provide rented accommodation to families residing in these camps.
Notable figures present during the event included Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, State Congress President Pratibha Singh, Health Minister Dr. Dhani Ram Shandil, Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, political advisors, and senior officers.
