Himachal suffers Rs.48 crore damage to crops

The damage to agricultural and horticulture crops due to unprecedented rains and snowfall in Himachal Pradesh in the past seven months is estimated at Rs.48 crore, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said on Tuesday.

Raising the issue with Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan here, he said this month the state witnessed four hailstorms, which caused extensive damage to the crops.

He said around 88,000 hectares area of both Rabi and Kharif crops were affected.

A total loss of Rs.30.04 crore had been estimated in agricultural crops and the damage to horticulture totalled Rs.18 crore, from last August till date, an official statement said.

Apart from this, roads and bridges were also badly damaged.

As many as 890 roads and 40 bridges were worst damaged and 4,647 irrigation and water supply schemes were hit. Sixty-one people lost their lives in weather-related calamities.

The chief minister said the state revenue agencies assessed the loss to the tune of Rs.832.67 crore in the past seven months due to natural calamities and had submitted the estimate to the central government.

A central team toured the state in November and sanctioned Rs.170 crore for damages and Rs.9 crore for rural drinking water supply schemes. So far, the state had got only Rs.63 crore.

Nadda, who also belong to this state, assured full support of the central government.

"I believe that Himachal Pradesh needs a special attention as far as relief is concerned and I assure that the matter will be strongly and well placed before the union government," he said.

Union minister Mohan promised that the remaining central government amount would be soon released to the state.