Uttarakhand cabinet asks Centre to act fast on its package

After getting an ad hoc relief of Rs 500 crore, the Uttarakhand cabinet today asked the Centre to act fast on its demand for a package of Rs 21,000 crore in the wake of the disaster striking the hill state during the monsoon season.

The government would like to take immediate steps for the rehabilitation of over 200 villages and other important works in the state for which it needs huge funds, said a government official.

“We have already spent Rs 372 crore out of the Rs 500 crore. While Rs 121 crore has been allocated for the reconstruction of the damaged roads, Rs 250 crore has been provided to the District Magistrates for relief works. And the remaining amount will also be exhausted in the next one month,” said an official after the cabinet meeting.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi in September made an aerial survey of the disaster-affected areas and later the centre announced an ad hoc relief of Rs 500 crore for the state.

Out of the Rs 21,000 crore package, the state has sought Rs 8,000 crore for the repair of nearly 1,500 roads which have been damaged. For the rehabilitation of nearly 200 villages, which have been declared unsafe, the state has demanded Rs 5,000 crore.

For the repair of the damaged canals, the state is seeking Rs 3,000 crore and for damaged drinking water projects/schemes, the package component is of Rs 2,500 crore.

Nearly 100,000 hectares of agriculture land has been washed away in the heavy floods and cloudbursts for which the state has demanded Rs 1,000 crore. Nearly 30 to 40 per cent of the apple crop and paddy has also been damaged.

Similarly, the state is also seeking Rs 1,000 crore for repair of damaged power projects and its related infrastructure.

Nearly 80,000 houses have been damaged for which the state has sought Rs 500 crore. For rebuilding damaged schools and colleges, the state is also seeking another Rs 500 crore.

A total of 170 people have died in the heavy rains that triggered cloudbursts, landslides and floods this monsoon season in the state.