Deputy CM, minister blame state BJP for Centre denying relief package

Shimla, November 3

Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri and Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi today slammed state BJP leaders for “misguiding” people over the relief and rehabilitation efforts of the state government.

The two leaders, in a statement issued here, blamed the state BJP leadership for the Central Government denying Rs 4,950 crore disaster claims of the state. “It is because of the irrational and insensitive approach of state BJP leaders that the Central Government has withheld this amount. The state government had sent the first claim of Rs 6,746 crore for the losses suffered due to the rain disaster to the Centre on August 10 and a revised claim of Rs 9,900 crore on October 10,” they said.

Agnihotri and Negi said that 50 per cent of the total claims, which works out to be Rs 4,950 crore, was the legitimate right of the state. “The Centre should immediately release Rs 4,950 crore so that the rehabilitation and reconstruction work can be expedited. It is unfortunate that the Centre has not honoured the rightful claims of Himachal,” they alleged.

They said that three central teams had visited the state and assessed the damage caused by flashfloods and heavy rain but no disaster claims had been honoured.

They said the Central Government had neither declared the rain fury in Himachal as a ‘national disaster’ nor provided a relief package. They alleged the Centre was trying to stop the state from collecting water cess from hydropower producers.