U'khand govt hikes amount of assistance given to disaster-affected people

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Monday increased the amount of assistance given under different heads to disaster-affected people.

Ordering the hikes at a meeting to review the relief-and-rescue efforts in the rain-ravaged areas of the state, Dhami said if the payment of the increased amount is not possible under disaster norms, it can be paid from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The amount given as assistance for loss of clothes, utensils and household goods was increased from Rs 3,800 to Rs 5,000, whereas the amount given for each completely damaged house was hiked to Rs 1.5 lakh, according to an official release.

Earlier, the amount given as assistance for loss of houses in the plains was Rs 95,000 per building and Rs 1,01,900 in the hills.

Similarly, the assistance amount for partially-damaged pucca houses was increased from Rs 5,200 per house to Rs 7,500 and for kuccha houses from Rs 3,200 to Rs 5,000. Besides, damage to the front or rear wall or the courtyard of a house will now fall into the category of partially damaged. Earlier, no assistance was given in such cases.

The minimum amount to be given for loss of land will be Rs 1,000.

Meanwhile, the power department has also been asked to replace the electric metres outside the houses damaged in excessive rains from October 17 to October 19 for free.

Small businessmen whose shops were inundated in floods will get a compensation of Rs 5,000.