'Free LPG kits, ration to people affected by heavy rain', announces CM Sukhu after Himachal calamity

Landslides and flash floods triggered by heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Himachal Pradesh in the months of July and August. The hill state has suffered losses of Rs 8,679 crore since the onset of the monsoon. According to the state emergency operation centre, about 270 people have died in rain-related incidents in the state. With this, as many as 165 landslides and 72 flash floods were reported during the monsoon season this year. In view of massive damages in the state, Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday announced providing free LPG kits and rations to the people affected by heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh. 

According to a statement issued on Saturday, the provision of free ration will be extended till March 31, 2024, to ensure that families have access to basic food necessities. Sukhu asserted that the state government is committed to ensuring that disaster-affected families have access to essential cooking facilities without any financial burden. According to



the statement, the kits include an LPG cylinder, pressure regulator, and a hot plate among others. 

The chief minister said the government has also initiated efforts to relocate affected families from relief camps to more suitable rented accommodations and provide financial assistance of Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 for rural and urban areas.

In order to extend a helping hand to the people affected by natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu donated all his savings worth Rs 51 lakh to the state disaster relief fund earlier on Friday. According to a statement issued, Sukhu and his wife Kamlesh Thakur presented a cheque of Rs 51 lakh to Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena at their official residence.

"I could well understand the pain of the people and their plight during the recent monsoon fury in which more than 260 precious lives were lost and many rendered homeless, besides suffering huge losses," he said.