Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed all the Deputy Commissioners for quick assessments of damages and losses the state suffered due to heavy rains within three days. In a virtual meeting with all the Deputy Commissioners held on late Thursday evening, the Chief Minister said that the government was committed to extend help to all those affected by disaster and asked officials to distribute relief to the affected diligently.
The Chief Minister instructed the Deputy Commissioners to thoroughly evaluate damages in their respective districts and designate the regions as disaster-affected zones. The revenue officers, including SDMs and Deputy Commissioners, would be held accountable for the proper distribution of relief funds to the affected persons. Keeping in view the massive devastation due to incessant rains, the State government has announced a special relief package, offering compensation upto ten folds to assist those impacted by the catastrophe, remarked Sukhu.
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Earlier, financial assistance of Rs. 12,500 was given for partial damage to a pucca house and Rs. 10,000 for partial damage to a Kuchha house, which has been increased to one lakh rupees. Apart from this in case of damage to shops and dhabas, a meager assistance of Rs. 10,000 was given earlier in lieu of goods, which has been increased ten times to rupees one lakh as of now. Further, according to the new provisions the financial assistance of Rs. 55,000 per animal for the death of milch and draught cattle will be provided, whereas in case of death of sheep, goat and pig, the financial assistance has been increased from Rs. 4000 to Rs. 6000, reiterated the Chief Minister. Expressing concern over the sinking zones, the Chief Minister said that there was a need for thorough study.
Adequate assistance for those whose properties were entirely destroyed should also be ensured. He said that to curb the smuggling of forest wealth, the state government has banned export of timber and firewood out of the State. Directions were issued to district authorities to adhere to these orders strictly besides implementing them in letter and spirit. The Chief Minister commended the efforts of district authorities during the calamity and said that it was due to the efforts of the officials and officers of the districts that the electricity and water supplies schemes were reinstated within 48 hours.
Now the departments should pay special attention to the restoration of roads to transport the produce of the farmers to the market so as to avoid any hardships to them. He said that the State Government would not let any shortage of funds for hiring machinery to restore the road connectivity. Principal Secretary Revenue, Onkar Chand Sharma, Principal Secretary PWD, Bharat Khera, Principal Secretary Finance, Manish Garg, OSD Gopal Sharma, Director of State Disaster Management Authority D.C. Rana and other officers were also present in the meeting.
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