SHIMLA: To help the people affected by natural disasters in Himachal Pradesh, many individuals and organizations have come forward directly or indirectly as a result, a contribution of more than Rs 163 crore has been received in the "Aapda Rahat Kosh-2023", set up for aiding those in distress.
The monsoon fury during the last two months of July and August caused severe devastation triggering flash floods and landslides, causing massive damage to both the public and the private property and loss of more than 330 human lives as well besides livestock.
Soma Devi, a resident of Panthaghati, a suburb of Shimla town had presented a cheque of Rs 61,000, her one month’s pension, to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as a contribution towards Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Avni Singh, also donated Rs 51,000 on her 15th Birthday towards the Aapda Raahat Kosh.
State government in a statement issued on Sunday said that the current monsoons, which surpassed the past 50 years record of heavy downpour has caused huge damage to the road infrastructure, water supply schemes, buildings and other private and public property.
It said that with a little aid from the centre, the chief minister dwelt upon an idea to constitute Aapada Raahat Kosh-2023 and appealed to the people to donate generously towards it, so that, whatever help could be extended to the people affected, can be managed from the Kosh by the time adequate assistance is not received from the Centre. Since then, the contributions from all the sections of the society started pouring in.
According to the state, the "Shaktipeeths" located in the state also contributed towards the noble cause. Mata Shree Chintpurni Trust donated Rs 2 crore, Shree Jwalamukhi Temple Trust gave Rs 5 crore besides Tara Devi Temple Trust, Sankat Mochan and other temple trusts have also contributed towards this. Various social organizations, government and non-government organizations, educational and other institutions, local bodies have also contributed for the relief fund.
The people from far and wide are also contributing to this at the individual level. Apart from this, contributions have also been made to the relief fund on behalf of various state governments including Rajasthan Rs 15 crore, Karnataka Rs 15 crore, Chhattisgarh Rs 11 crore, Tamil Nadu Rs 10 Crore and Haryana Rs 5 crore.
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, all his cabinet colleagues and Chief Parliamentary Secretaries including MLAs, have also provided their one month's salary for the relief fund. The employees have provided their one day's salary for the relief fund as well.
Sukhu while thanking all the donors for their invaluable support said that this contribution would go a long way in helping the affected in this hour of distress. He expressed confidence that with coordinated efforts, Himachal Pradesh would once again emerge from this calamity.
