A high-level committee, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah has approved Rs 2006.40 crore in central assistance for Himachal Pradesh for recovery and reconstruction efforts following the devastating floods, landslides, and cloudburst of 2023.

The committee, comprising Union Finance and Agriculture Ministers and the Vice Chairman of the NITI Aayog as members, considered the proposal for financial assistance to the state from the recovery and reconstruction funding window under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), an official statement by the Ministry of Home Affairs read.

The high-level committee has approved the recovery plan of Rs 2,006.40 crore to Himachal Pradesh, which will help the state in carrying out recovery and reconstruction activities, arising due to damage and destruction occurred during the 2023 monsoon due to floods, cloudbursts and landslides, it said. Out of this, Rs 1,504.80 crore will be the central share from the recovery and reconstruction funding window under the NDRF, it added.

Himachal Pradesh floods and landslides 2023

Himachal Pradesh witnessed a devastating natural disaster in 2023 – flood and landslides caused by heavy rainfall, resulting in widespread destruction and loss of life. Heavy rainfall in July and August 2023 led to severe flooding and landslides across Himachal Pradesh. The floods were exacerbated by cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides, which damaged infrastructure, homes, and agricultural land.

At least 330 people lost their lives, with 38 reported missing and over 377 injured. Over 1,000 roads were blocked, and several bridges were damaged or destroyed. Apart from huge financial loss, there was massive agricultural damage with crops and horticultural lands being severely affected.

Following a heavy loss to both life and property due to the landslides and floods, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that a decision has been taken to declare Himachal Pradesh as ‘Natural Calamity Affected Area’.

“The normal life in the state was thrown out of gear by torrential rains, floods including landslips in which around 330 people have lost their life and over 12000 houses have been damaged. The state has suffered enormous loss of over Rs. 10000 crores. Immense damage has been caused to the roads, including the National Highways and rural roads and numerous water and power supply schemes were badly hit, besides agriculture and horticulture sectors have also suffered huge losses,” according to a statement by the Government of Himachal Pradesh released after the disaster.

Centre’s financial assistance to Himachal Pradesh in 2023

Following the disaster, Chief Minister Sukhu urged the Central Government to provide assistance to the state so that the activities of normalising the system could be expedited by bringing life back on track.

On December 12, 2023, the Ministry of Home Affairs had approved an additional financial assistance of Rs 633.73 crore from the NDRF for Himachal Pradesh. The central government had also approved a recovery plan of Rs 1658.17 crore for Uttarakhand in the aftermath of the Joshimath subsidence and of Rs 555.27 crore for Sikkim in the aftermath of the Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF) incident of 2023.