Himachal Govt approves rent assistance for disaster-hit families of Kullu

Hundreds of families displaced by floods and landslides in Kullu district are set to receive financial assistance from the state government to ease their hardships and for their rehabilitation. Many of the families have been living in rented accommodation for months after losing their homes in the rain disaster.

The district administration has sanctioned Rs 26.55 lakh as building rent assistance for the verified disaster-affected families for 2025. The aim of the relief is to help those rendered homeless while waiting for long-term rehabilitation measures.

The plight of the displaced families gained attention when Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu visited Inner Akhara Bazaar in September last year to assess the damage caused due to the devastating landslides. During the visit, he had announced a rent assistance of Rs 10,000 per month for the families that had been forced to shift to rented rooms after their houses were damaged or declared unsafe. The announcement was widely seen as a crucial step in providing immediate relief to the families facing financial stress and uncertainty.

Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S Raveesh said that the rent assistance would be provided to the eligible families in the district and not limited to any one area. She added that the payments would be made strictly according to the government guidelines and after proper verification. Most of the verification process had been completed and the assistance would be transferred directly to the bank accounts to ensure transparency and timely support.

Banjar SDM Pankaj Sharma said that priority would be given to families who had already submitted the required documents. He added that the families, whose names were inadvertently left out, could approach the sub-divisional office to resolve their grievances. “The aim of the administration is to ensure no eligible family is deprived of assistance during this difficult period,” he added.

Residents affected by the disaster have expressed gratitude to the government and the district administration for supporting them during the crisis. Many of them living in rented rooms for nearly eight months would get the much-needed relief and security with the help of financial relief. They also urged the authorities to expedite the repair work in Inner Akhara Bazaar to prevent further losses and ensure safety.

The administration reiterated that the rehabilitation and relief efforts would continue in a transparent and time-bound manner, underscoring the government’s commitment to restoring normalcy and dignity in the lives of the disaster-hit families.