· The state government has already sent revised notes worth Rs 9900 crore to GoI
· Deputy Chief Minister and Cabinet Minister said, Himachal BJP guilty for not getting the claim of natural disaster from GoI
Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi slammed the State BJP leaders for misguiding the people on relief and rehabilitation efforts of the State government for political gain. In a press statement issued here on Friday, the duo said that Himachal BJP was responsible for not getting Rs 4950 crore of disaster claims from the Central Government. It is because of irrational and insensitive approach of State BJP leaders that the Center has withheld this amount. The first claim note of Rs 6746 crore for the loss due to the disaster was sent by the state government to the Government of India (GoI) on 10th August, 2023 and a revised claim note of Rs 9900 crore has been sent on 10th October, 2023.
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister said that 50 percent of the total claim i.e. Rs 4950 crore was the right of the State. The GoI should immediately release this amount so that the rehabilitation and reconstruction work can be expedited. Sh. Agnihotri and Sh. Negi said that it was unfortunate that till now the Center has not given even a single penny of its righteous claim to Himachal. Three teams from the Center have so far visited the state and returned after assessing the damage caused by floods and heavy rains, but it seemed all in vain. The claim amount is the right of the state, it is available to all the states in case of natural disaster, it cannot be stopped on political grounds, added the duo.
They said that the GoI neither declared the disaster in Himachal as a ‘National Disaster’ nor gave any special relief package to recover from this natural calamity. The people of disaster affected Himachal are no longer demanding a special relief package but the state should get Rs 4950 crore which is its right. They alleged that Himachal BJP leaders were creating hurdles not allowing this amount to be released. Similarly, the state Government is being repeatedly asked to stop collecting water cess from power companies, as the Central Government was issuing letters in this regard. It is enough evidence to prove that neither the State BJP leaders nor the Union government wants to provide a single penny to the State Government in this hour of Natural calamity and seems not to be concerned at all with the interests of the people of Himachal. They are playing dirty politics for self gain forgetting the interests of the State, they asserted.
They said that the union government has held the rightful claims of the state because of connivance and manipulations of the state BJP leaders with their union government leaders. They should be shameful for politicizing the disaster. The people of the state will leave no stone unturned to teach a lesson to BJP at the appropriate time. It has become clear from the actions of BJP leaders that they have no sympathy for the disaster affected people, their basic objective is only to do politics, remarked the duo.
