Shimla, Nov 14 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday announced a special relief package for disaster-affected Samej and Bagi bridge regions of Rampur area on the pattern of relief package given last year.

Presiding over the closing ceremony of the four-day international Lavi fair in Rampur area of Shimla district, he said families who lost their homes entirely in the disaster would receive Rs 7 lakh rather than the previous amount of Rs 1.5 lakh, while those with partially damaged homes would receive Rs 1 lakh as compensation.

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The families of the individuals who went missing in these and other disaster-affected areas would be provided death certificates and financial assistance from the state government, he said in a statement issued here.

Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts on the midnight of July 31 in Samej area of Rampur had claimed 19 lives while 14 people were missing.

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"I come from a common family, so I understand the struggles of common people well," said the chief minister, adding that the state government rehabilitated 23,000 affected families in 2023 and provided a special economic package of Rs 4,500 crore without any support from the central government when the worst-ever monsoon disaster had hit the state.

The chief minister criticised the previous BJP government for squandering public funds and said the present state government was closing loopholes in corruption and redirecting funds towards welfare initiatives for orphans, widows and other vulnerable groups.

Extending greetings of Lavi fair, Sukhu said such events reinforce cultural heritage. He said he was unable to attend it last year and this year he is pleased to witness the fair's 300-year legacy, the chief minister said.

State Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh credited the Congress-led government with robust disaster response and ongoing development throughout the state, with around Rs 250 crore allocated for road projects in Rampur alone.

The chief minister gave away prizes to the winners of the exhibitions put up by the departments and other agencies on the occasion. Earlier, Sukhu inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of six development projects worth Rs 31 crore for Rampur area.

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