TNR News Network
Shimla:
Puneet Malhi, newly appointed Director civil supply corporation Ltd by the Himachal Pradesh government, launched a scathing verbal attack on the BJP and the Centre over the ongoing natural disaster relief efforts in the state.
Malhi accused the BJP of neglecting the state, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating flashfloods and landslides that have caused widespread damage.
In a strongly worded statement, Malhi said that the Centre had allegedly shown a stepmotherly attitude toward Himachal Pradesh, leaving the state’s citizens to suffer in the wake of the disaster. “The seven BJP MPs from Himachal Pradesh and the central government have failed to provide any meaningful relief to the affected families. They have not done enough to heal the wounds of the people,” he said.
Malhi further criticised the Centre for its lack of support despite the state suffering a loss of over Rs 15,000 crore due to the rain disaster over the past two-three years. He emphasised that despite the scale of the devastation, the Centre had failed to offer any special relief package.
“Not a single penny has been provided by the Centre in terms of relief package against the Rs 10,000 crore losses earmarked in the 2023 Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) report,” Malhi pointed out.
He also highlighted the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which are regularly allocated to state governments every year, regardless of the occurrence of a disaster. “These funds are available annually to all states, but no additional aid was given to Himachal Pradesh this year, despite the immense damage,” he stated.
Malhi accused the BJP of exploiting the disaster for political gains rather than focusing on actual relief work. “The BJP is only interested in making political capital out of the disaster. No major BJP leader, including MP Kangana Ranaut, has been seen on the ground helping the victims. They have left the disaster victims to rely on the grace of God while their leaders are busy making statements,” Malhi said.
Instead, he lauded the efforts of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and his team, saying, “It is the Chief Minister and his government, along with the ministers and legislators, who are reaching out to the affected families and providing immediate relief.”
