TNR News Network
Dharamshala: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had probably planned to use Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s proposed visit to Himachal Pradesh to press New Delhi on various issues, including release of disaster relief package, but the sudden cancellation of the programme has pushed those expectations into limbo.
Chief Minister Sukhu was scheduled to personally receive Shah at Sapri in Kangra district, where the Home Minister was to attend the foundation day function of the Sashastra Seema Bal training centre. Senior officials say the Chief Minister intended to flag multiple state-specific concerns, with the delayed release of the Rs 1,500-crore special disaster package topping the agenda.
The package was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Dharamshala visit on September 9, in the aftermath of widespread rain-triggered damage across Himachal. However, more than two months on, the funds are yet to be released despite repeated assessments by central teams and visits by at least seven Union ministers to the state’s disaster-hit regions.
Government sources said Sukhu was keen to underline the urgency of immediate financial support as the state struggles with reconstruction, compensation to affected families and restoration of damaged infrastructure. With winter setting in across higher reaches, the state leadership viewed Shah’s visit as a key opportunity to seek a firm timeline from the Centre, said a Congress leader from Mandi.
The cancellation of the visit — reportedly due to adverse weather — has therefore come as a setback for the Congress government. Officials acknowledged that expectations were high, particularly as Shah’s presence was seen as carrying both administrative and political weight in pushing stalled decisions.
