'Congress to raise issue of special relief package for Himachal Pradesh'

SHIMLA: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the party will raise the issue of a special relief package for the disaster-hit Himachal Pradesh, during this special session in Parliament, an official statement said on Wednesday.

The Congress leader is on a visit to Himachal Pradesh to meet the people and victims of recent floods and landslides in the state.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday took stock of the relief and rehabilitation work in Shiv Bawari, Krishnanagar and Kanlog areas of Shimla.

“The situation in Himachal Pradesh is very painful and the State has suffered immense losses. The State Government led by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is working tirelessly to provide relief to the disaster-affected people. The Union Government seems to be unable to grasp the gravity of the situation in Himachal Pradesh. The losses in the State are so substantial that the State Government cannot handle it alone. Therefore, the Union Government must rise above the petty politics and help generously the people of the State during this challenging time", she said while speaking to the reporters.

"Congress will raise the issue of special relief package for Himachal Pradesh during this special session in Parliament", she added.

A special session of the parliament will be held from September 18 to 22. Earlier on Tuesday, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who was in the Kullu district along with the CM said that the Center should declare the Himachal Pradesh massive catastrophe as a 'National Disaster' and should immediately come forward to help the affected.

"The Central Government should not discriminate between the States on party lines. It becomes the duty of the Union Government to provide aid in such circumstances, analyzing the impact of the disaster.

The Center should declare such a massive catastrophe as a 'National Disaster' and should immediately come forward for the help of the affected," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said while speaking to ANI.

The Congress leader said that though the State Government was doing far beyond its limited resources to provide succour to the affected families, however, without the assistance of the Union Government it was rather difficult to bring normalcy and renovation works besides providing aid to the people. Incessant rains in Himachal Pradesh have led to multiple landslides and cloudbursts in several places. According to the officials, in rain-related incidents in this year's monsoon so far, 400 people have lost their lives and over 13,000 houses have been damaged.