New Delhi (Agency): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Monday that people affected by the ongoing monsoon rains and staying in relief camps would be offered temporary housing. The rent for these houses will be covered by the state government. The announcement was made during a meeting with officials in Shimla, the state capital.
“Heavy rains during the ongoing monsoon season wreaked havoc in the hill state,” according to the state’s emergency operation center. Since June 24, the state has experienced 164 major landslides and 72 flash floods, resulting in losses amounting to Rs 8,678 crore (approximately $1.16 billion USD). The Public Works Department alone faced losses of Rs 2,119 crore. A staggering number of houses—2,522 fully and 10,920 partially—were damaged, and about 268 people lost their lives due to rain-related incidents.
In response to the extensive damage, Chief Minister Sukhu also announced that Rs 10 crore would be allocated for the repair and maintenance of damaged roads under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Shimla. He instructed all Deputy Commissioners to expedite these repairs, especially of roads and retaining walls damaged by heavy rains.
Aside from immediate relief measures, Sukhu discussed various development schemes. He directed officials to speed up ongoing projects and revealed plans to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses in all state engineering colleges from the next academic year. Plans are also underway to boost self-employment in the fisheries sector and to encourage jackfruit cultivation in the state.
Another innovative measure introduced by the Chief Minister involves the development of an effective online system that allows citizens to apply for vehicle fitness certificates and schedule related appointments.