INDIA VOTES 2024: Congress rebuts PM’s charge on misuse of disaster relief fund

Tribune News Service

Dipender Manta

Mandi, May 25

Senior Congress leader and former minister Kaul Singh Thakur on Saturday dismissed as “unfounded” Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims on the misuse of disaster relief fund by the state government.

He was reacting to the PM’s remarks against the state government during a BJP’s rally at Paddal ground in Mandi yesterday.

Addressing the media, Kaul Singh challenged the PM to institute an inquiry into the alleged misuse of the funds and emphasised that the state government had everything accounted for.

The Congress leader Thakur highlighted the PM’s purported lack of empathy towards the disaster-hit people of Himachal Pradesh, citing the absence of any expression of grief or supportive tweets following the tragedy that claimed over 400 lives in the state last monsoon.

Thakur elucidated the financial ramifications of the calamity, stating that a substantial loss of approximately Rs 1,200 crore was borne by the state. He lamented that despite the exigency, a meagre financial assistance came from the Centre — only Rs 300 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), which was a fraction of what was required to mitigate the crisis effectively.

In response to the “perceived apathy” from the Centre, the state administration, under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, allocated a budget of Rs 4,500 crore from the state exchequer to the flood-affected populace, he added.

Additionally, Thakur underscored the augmentation of relief measures, including increased compensation for property damage and assistance to affected families, as indicative of the state government’s commitment to alleviating the suffering of its citizens.

Thakur also refuted Modi’s allegations of non-performance of the state government and cited the successful implementation of welfare schemes such as the Old Pension Scheme (OPS), besides financial aid to women in Lahaul and Spiti. He attributed the delay in extending the financial aid to women to logistical challenge exacerbated by the political opposition.

The Congress leader also spoke about the state government’s efforts to rectify systemic corruption within the Himachal Pradesh Staff Selection Commission, emphasising that it restored integrity in the recruitment process.

Thakur highlighted the BJP’s purported failings at the Centre, alleging that the party had an anti-farmer and anti-poor stance. He criticised PM Modi’s handling of national security issues, particularly with respect to China. The Congress leader underscored the BJP’s alleged neglect of job creation, contrasting it with Congress’s legacy of developmental initiatives.

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