PIONEEREDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun To compensate for the damage caused by disasters this year and to protect further damage, the Uttarakhand government has sought Rs 5,702/15 crore as special assistance from the Centre. On the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the principal secretary RK Sudhanshu and Disaster Management and Rehabilitation secretary Vinod Kumar Suma submitted the proposal to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) member Rajendra Singh and secretary Manish Bharadwaj on Thursday. Singh and Bharadwaj assured the Centre’s cooperation at all levels to Uttarakhand. Singh said that disasters like those witnessed in Dharali and Tharali, among others, had caused considerable damage in the State. He said that the Centre stands with the State and all possible financial support from the NDMA will be provided to Uttarakhand. Officials informed that the State had suffered damage from disasters amounting to Rs 1,163.84 crore to Public Works Department and public roads while Irrigation department estates had suffered damage worth Rs 266.65 crore, Power department had suffered damage worth Rs 123.17 crore, Health department had suffered damage worth Rs 4.57 crore, School Education department had suffered damage to its properties worth Rs 68.28 crore, Higher Education department suffered damage worth Rs 9.04 crore, and Rural Development department suffered damage amounting to Rs 65.50 crore, among others. The State officials requested that in addition to Rs 1944.15 crore for reconstruction of these damaged properties, Rs 3,758 crore should be provided as special financial assistance to protect properties, inhabited areas and infrastructure on the verge of damage from disaster. Considering this, Uttarakhand has sought Rs 5,702.15 crore assistance from the Centre. Suman informed that this year a total of 79 persons had died due to natural calamities between April 1 and August 31 while 115 had been injured and 90 persons are missing. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the Centre is providing its full support to Uttarakhand in these times of disasters. Rescue and relief measures have been expedited due to the Central support, he said.
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