Rehabilitation of rain-disaster victims a major challenge for state govt

The prolonged struggle of families rendered homeless and landless by the devastating rains in 2025 has emerged as one of the most pressing humanitarian challenges for Himachal Pradesh. Even as the state battles to rebuild its infrastructure, several affected residents remain stuck in uncertainty — holding financial assistance meant for new homes but without a patch of land to construct a dwelling unit. For many of them, the wait for rehabilitation has become an emotional and economic burden. To make matter worse, there is no clear timeline.

During his recent visit to Mandi, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu acknowledged the state government’s helplessness in rehabilitating the landless survivors of the disasters. Though the government has shown willingness to provide land, the CM emphasised that Himachal Pradesh’s available land bank is overwhelmingly composed of forest areas — land that cannot be allotted without mandatory clearance from the Central government. “We want to rehabilitate every affected family with dignity, but most of the land falls under the forest category. Without the Centre’s approval, our hands are tied,” Sukhu stated, voicing frustration that has been building for months.

The Chief Minister says he has raised the demand for land allocation clearances repeatedly with the Central government, but no substantial progress has been made. Sukhu has also appealed to BJP leaders from the state — members of Parliament, MLAs, Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and BJP national president JP Nadda, who hails from Himachal — to take up the issue with the Central govt. The state government claims it has not received any positive response from the Central leadership so far.

The consequences of this stalemate are most stark in the districts like Mandi, where numerous families recounted their plight. Many have already received the first instalment of financial aid under housing schemes, but the money remains unused. “What should we do with this assistance when we have no land left after the landslides?” asked one survivor, whose home was swept away in the 2025 cloudburst. The sentiment is shared widely across disaster-hit regions, where families live in temporary shelters, rented accommodation or with relatives, desperate for a permanent solution.

Despite the gravity of the situation, the state government has not yet released official data detailing the number of families, who lost both homes and land in 2023, 2024 and 2025 due to rain disasters. This lack of public data has raised concerns among citizens and activists, who argue that transparency is essential for accountability and for strengthening the demand for central approval.

Civil society voices have been particularly critical of the political divide overshadowing this grave humanitarian crisis. Social activists argue that instead of uniting to support displaced residents, political leaders across party lines appear more interested in blame games and scoring points. “People have lost everything—homes, land, security. This is not the time for political rivalry. Leaders must come together to ensure rehabilitation without caste, creed or party considerations,” said one activist who has been working in rural Mandi.