Himachal Pradesh Government Disburses Rs 8.97 Crore in Rental Assistance to Monsoon-Affected Families
The Himachal Pradesh state government has released a significant sum of Rs 8.97 crore to provide crucial rental assistance to families severely impacted by the devastating monsoon rains of 2025. This financial support is specifically targeted at households whose residences were either completely destroyed or rendered uninhabitable due to the natural disaster.
Direct Financial Support for Accommodation
According to an official government statement, the primary objective of this initiative is to ensure that affected families do not encounter hardships in securing rental accommodation during their recovery period. The assistance is being provided directly from the state's own resources, demonstrating a commitment to immediate relief.
The rental assistance is structured as follows:
- Families in urban areas are receiving Rs 10,000 each.
- Families in rural areas are receiving Rs 5,000 each.
This targeted aid has already benefited a total of 2,905 families across the state, including 2,817 families in rural regions and 88 families in urban locales.
Scale of the 2025 Monsoon Disaster
The monsoon-led catastrophe in 2025 had a profound impact on Himachal Pradesh, affecting approximately 16,488 families statewide. The damage to housing infrastructure was extensive:
- 2,246 houses were completely damaged.
- 7,888 houses suffered partial damage.
The total estimated loss to the state from this disaster exceeded a staggering Rs 16,500 crore, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Enhanced Relief Package and Compensation
The government statement emphasized that, for the first time in the country, financial assistance for disaster victims has been increased significantly under a special relief package. This package, initially released in 2023 from the state's own resources, has been continued and expanded in 2025 to address housing and livelihood difficulties comprehensively.
Key enhancements under the relief package include:
- Compensation for completely damaged houses has been raised from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 7 lakh.
- Assistance for partially damaged houses is now fixed at Rs 1 lakh.
- Relief for loss of household items has increased from Rs 2,500 to Rs 1 lakh for homeowners and Rs 50,000 for tenants.
Furthermore, the current administration has introduced new provisions previously unavailable:
- Rs 25,000 assistance for damaged polyhouses.
- Rs 50,000 for debris or silt removal from affected properties.
Ongoing Reconstruction Efforts
In addition to the rental aid, the government has already released the first instalment of Rs 141.61 crore to beneficiaries for the reconstruction of damaged houses. This is part of a broader effort to rebuild and restore normalcy in the disaster-stricken areas.
The spokesperson also referenced a central assessment team's evaluation of the 2023 natural disaster, which estimated losses at Rs 9,042 crore. This historical context underscores the recurring challenges posed by monsoons in the region and the government's evolving response strategies.
The sustained assistance under the special relief package ensures that adequate financial aid is being provided to affected families, aiming to mitigate their hardships and support long-term recovery.
