Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, July 17
As Himachal Pradesh reels from the devastating impact of recent floods and landslides, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged the Union government to provide urgent assistance and appealed to Home Minister Amit Shah to personally assess the damage on the ground. The plea comes at a time when the state has also scored a major legal victory that could significantly strengthen its finances. Speaking to reporters following meetings with several senior Union ministers in Delhi, Sukhu said he had requested a central disaster relief package, a revision in the state’s borrowing limit, and relaxation of certain legal provisions to speed up recovery efforts.
“I have urged the Home Minister to visit the disaster-hit areas of Himachal to understand the scale of damage,” Sukhu said. “The state needs both moral support and material resources, and the Centre must respond swiftly.”
Sukhu met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. He also held talks with and Union Health Minister and BJP National president J.P Nadda, seeking coordinated central support to tackle the aftermath of the natural disaster. The Chief Minister said the state has requested concessions under the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) to accelerate rehabilitation and infrastructure restoration. He added that all Union ministers had assured their support.
In a major development that could ease some of the fiscal strain, the Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Himachal Pradesh in the long-running royalty dispute over the Karcham Wangtoo hydroelectric project. The verdict increases the state’s royalty share from 12% to 18%, providing an estimated annual revenue boost of ₹250 crore.
Sukhu hailed the ruling as a win for Himachal’s rightful claims: “Our Congress government has consistently fought for the state’s interests. After the Wildflower Hall ruling, this is another example of our commitment paying off.” Addressing the issue of forest land encroachments, Sukhu confirmed that the government is acting in compliance with a Himachal Pradesh High Court order to remove illegal structures. He also clarified that the government does not support the cutting of fruit-bearing trees without due process and has asked for time before auctioning such trees.
When asked about his recent meeting with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sukhu downplayed political speculation. “It was a personal meeting. There is no organisational reshuffle on the cards. Right now, our top priority is providing relief to disaster-hit families and apple farmers,” he said.
