Compensation of more than Rs 14 crore was distributed to disaster-affected families of Hamirpur district under ‘Punarvas’ Scheme, by Chief Minister  Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

The August Monsoons had wreaked havoc in the state leading to the mass destruction of both public and private properties besides the loss of human lives.

To provide relief to the affected families, the state government released Rs 3 lakh each as the first instalment to 122 families whose houses were completely damaged amounting to Rs 3.66 crore.

The Chief Minister also handed over land documents to two homeless families of the district and provided financial assistance of rupees one lakh each for the repair of 555 partially damaged houses, totalling Rs 5.55 crore to all of them.

Apart from this, he also provided a compensation amount of rupees one lakh each to the affected eight shop and dhaba owners.

A sum of Rs 3.11 crore for the repair of 622 damaged cow sheds and financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each to 71 families, who lost their belongings in the disaster, was also disbursed by the Chief Minister.

Apart from this, a total compensation of Rs 55 lakh at the rate of Rs 10 thousand per bigha was given in lieu of 1103 kanal of land eroded due to landslides and floods and Rs 35.20 lakh at the rate of Rs 4 thousand per bigha for the damage caused to the crops on 1760 kanal land.

He also released an amount of Rs 8 lakhs to the cattle owners compensating for the death of their livestock.

“Despite having a debt burden of Rs 75 thousand crore and liabilities of government employees worth Rs 10 thousand crore, the state government will help each family affected by the disaster,” said Sukhu.

The Chief Minister announced to open the Chief Engineer office of HPSEB in Hamirpur and to provide Rs. 20 crore for undergrounding the electricity cables of Hamirpur city directing to complete the work within one year.

He also announced Rs 2 crores as the first installment for the construction of the Hamirpur bus stand and announced the construction of the hostel of Horticulture University in Neri to be constructed with an outlay of Rs 3 crore.

He also handed over certificates to 4 orphan children and land documents to a landless orphan in district Hamirpur.

Sukhu said that 252 children of the district have been adopted as Children of the state, out of which 105 children are up to 18 years of age and 147 children are in the age group of 18 to 27 years.

The Chief Minister also provided tablets to 13 meritorious students of Hamirpur district under the Srinivasa Ramanujan Digital Student Scheme.