The North News
New Delhi, June 18
The Centre has sanctioned over ₹2,000 crore in central assistance to Himachal Pradesh, as part of a recovery and reconstruction plan following the devastating floods, landslides, and cloudbursts that battered the state during the 2023 monsoon. The High-Level Committee (HLC), chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and including the Finance Minister, Agriculture Minister, and Vice Chair of NITI Aayog, approved the financial support under the Recovery and Reconstruction funding window of the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).
Of the total ₹2,006.40 crore approved, ₹1,504.80 crore will be provided by the central government, aiming to support the rebuilding of critical infrastructure and public services disrupted during last year’s extreme weather events. The move follows a previous tranche of ₹633.73 crore granted in December 2023 to Himachal Pradesh, which experienced widespread destruction, leaving many communities stranded and triggering renewed calls for climate-resilient infrastructure in the fragile Himalayan region.
Framing the financial support as part of a broader commitment to disaster resilience, the Union government said the move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a disaster-resilient India. The Ministry of Home Affairs has emphasised its efforts to reduce the loss of life and property through systemic improvements in disaster risk management.
The assistance to Himachal comes amid a wider push by the central government to bolster states facing mounting climate-related disasters. Similar packages have been announced for Uttarakhand (₹1,658.17 crore) following the Joshimath land subsidence crisis, and for Sikkim (₹555.27 crore) after a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) incident in 2023.
In addition to state-specific recovery packages, the government has rolled out mitigation projects worth ₹7,253.51 crore to address threats from urban floods, landslides, droughts, forest fires, lightning, and GLOF events. These include ₹3,075.65 crore for urban flooding, ₹1,000 crore for landslides, and ₹2,022.16 crore for drought preparedness.
The financial year 2024–25 has also seen the disbursement of ₹20,264.40 crore to 28 states under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), ₹5,160.76 crore under NDRF to 19 states, ₹4,984.25 crore under the State Disaster Mitigation Fund (SDMF), and ₹719.72 crore from the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF).
