2 Union ministers visit Kullu, promise relief for flood-hit state

Union Ministers Shantanu Thakur and Savitri Thakur visited flood-ravaged Kullu to assess the widespread damage caused by recent natural disasters, including floods, landslides and cloudbursts.

Representing the Ministries of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Women and Child Development, respectively, both leaders reiterated the central government’s commitment to restoring normalcy under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During his visit to Banjar Assembly constituency, Shantanu Thakur toured several severely affected areas such as Gushaini, Tirthan, Sainj, Larji and Bihali. He met victims, listened to their grievances and evaluated the scale of destruction.

The minister reported that between June 20 and September 12, the state had suffered the loss of 386 lives, with 451 individuals injured and 41 still missing. In addition, 168 people died in road accidents during the same period. The housing sector was hit particularly hard with 538 ‘pucca’ houses and 834 ‘kutcha’ houses completely destroyed. Nearly 6,000 homes were partially damaged.

Shantanu Thakur emphasised that Modi had recently visited Himachal Pradesh to meet affected families and had announced an immediate relief package of Rs 1,500 crore. Thakur also highlighted the significant increase in disaster relief allocations under Modi’s leadership, stating that over the past 11 years, Himachal Pradesh received Rs 3,190.39 crore through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and Rs 2,684.88 crore via the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), a marked contrast to the previous decade under Congress rule.

Meanwhile, Savitri Thakur conducted inspections in Manali, focusing on areas devastated by flashfloods and cloudbursts. In Old Manali, she surveyed the damage around the Nalasu and Manalsu streams and visited nearby villages including Solang, Palchan, Samahad and Bahang, where the impact on daily life was severe.

She assured residents that the Centre was fully committed to their rehabilitation and stressed that Modi was personally concerned about their plight. At the Manali Circuit House, Savitri Thakur chaired a detailed review meeting with officials from the Border Roads Organisation, National Highways Authority of India, district administration and other departments.

The discussions centred on damage assessment, reconstruction timelines and rehabilitation strategies for displaced families. She instructed all departments to expedite relief and rebuilding efforts to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.

The minister also reiterated the Prime Minister’s announcement of Rs 2 lakh compensation for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for those seriously injured. She confirmed that advance payments and all necessary support were being extended to the state, and that a comprehensive damage report would soon be submitted to the Prime Minister.

Both ministers praised the resilience and patience of Himachal Pradesh’s residents during this crisis, affirming that every possible effort would be made to help the state recover from this unprecedented tragedy.