Amid reports that Congress President Sonia Gandhi has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide liberal assistance to disaster-hit states, Uttarakhand has sought a huge package of Rs 21,000 crore even as the Centre is likely to assess the damage due to the natural calamity.
However, financial experts said the Centre was unlikely to fulfil the demand of the hill state since the destruction caused by heavy rains was equally bad in Uttar Pradesh.
Significantly, the state government is also yet to make a thorough assessment of the situation and the demand for the package is based on the preliminary findings, said Agriculture Minister Trivedra Singh Rawat. Though Gandhi yesterday made an aerial survey of the disaster-affected areas in both the states, the sources here said the centre is likely to send its teams shortly to make an assessment of the damage done by the heavy rains.
Out of the Rs 21,000 crore package, the state has sought Rs 8,000 crore for the repair of nearly 1,500 roads which have been damaged. For the rehabilitation of nearly 200 villages, which have been declared unsafe, the state has demanded Rs 5,000 crore.
For the repair of the damaged canals, the state is seeking Rs 3,000 crore and for damaged drinking water projects/schemes, the package component is of Rs 2,500 crore.
Nearly, one lakh hectare of agriculture land has been washed away in the heavy floods and cloudbursts for which the state has demanded Rs 1,000 crore. Nearly 30 to 40 per cent of the apple crop and paddy has also been damaged.
Similarly, the state is also seeking Rs 1,000 crore for repair of damaged power projects and its related infrastructure.
More From This Section
Besides, nearly 80,000 houses have been damaged for which the state has sought Rs 500 crore. For rebuilding damaged schools and colleges, the state is also seeking another Rs 500 crore.
A total of 170 people have died in the heavy rains that triggered cloudbursts, landslides and floods this monsoon season in the state.