Centre approves reconstruction package for flood-ravaged Uttarakhand

The Government of India on Wednesday approved a medium and long-term reconstruction package following the Uttarakhand disaster in 2013.

Specific relaxation in the existing guidelines of Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Scheme (AIBP), Flood Management Programme (FMP), Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) & Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), Rajiv Gandhi Scheme for Employment of Adolescent Girls (SABALA) and Indira Gandhi Matritva Yojana (IMGSY)] were applicable in all the disaster affected areas in the entire State of Uttarakhand.

Concerned Central Ministers earmarked central outlays under respective CSS for an amount of Rs. 1884.92 crores allotted during the financial years of 2013, 2014-15 and 2015-16 within its overall budgetary allocation for the 12th Five Year Plan.

An amount of Rs. 50 crores allotted under Central Sector Plan Scheme during the financial years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 within its overall budgetary allocation for the 12th Five Year Plan for establishment of "Environment Research and Training Center at Dehradun".

An amount of Rs. 1100 crores allotted under SPA during the financial years of 2014-15 and 2015-16 for reconstruction work restricted to five districts in Uttarakhand. The GOI released Rs. 1100 crores((Rs. 165 crores during 2013-14, Rs. 495 crores during 2014-15, Rs. 116.22 crores during 2015-16 and Rs. 323.78 crores during 2016-17) to the State on this account.

This package was taken by erstwhile Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog) on 9th December 2013.

This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju in a written reply to question by Shri Mahendra Singh Mahra in the Rajya Sabha today.

The 2013 Uttarakhand floods were the country's most disastrous natural calamity since 2004 Tsunami in Tamil Nadu. Flash floods, cloudbursts and subsequent land slips led to massive floods in Uttarakhand, claiming the lives of thousands of pilgrims on chardham yatra for Himalayan shrines (Badrinath,Kedarnath,Gangotri and Yamnotri) were stranded.

As per the list provided by the state government on 16th July 2013, more than 5,700 people were declared in the "presumed dead" category, which included 934 local residents.