Congress government is running away from responsibilities by lying during the disaster: Anurag Singh Thakur

Former Union Minister and MP from Hamirpur Lok Sabha constituency Anurag Singh Thakur, while addressing a press conference in Hamirpur, said that the Congress government of the state is running away from responsibilities, lying and misleading the public during the natural disaster in Himachal. He described the declaration of Himachal's natural disaster as a national disaster by the Congress government of Himachal Pradesh as mere pretense and shedding crocodile tears. Anurag Singh Thakur said that in 2013, the Congress-led UPA-2 government had abolished the provision of declaring natural disaster as a national disaster, so on what basis are they demanding to declare the disaster in Himachal as a national disaster today.

 Anurag Singh Thakur said, “The Congress government in Himachal has always run away from its responsibilities, mislead the public and falsely accuse the central government. The state government publicly says that the central government does not cooperate, but in the assembly, it admits in writing that Himachal has received thousands of crores of rupees from the central government during disasters in the last 3 years. The Congress government is beating the drum of its own lies. In 2023, the Congress government announces Rs 4500 crore for disaster victims, but in reality, till now they have been able to release only Rs 256 crore as aid. This is the picture of their hollow claims. Congressmen say at various places that this year no money was received from the central government, and at the same time, in the assembly, they admit in writing that this year alone, more than Rs 1087 crore has been received from the center. They have crossed the pinnacle of lies. During disasters, the Public Works Minister is found abroad and the Chief Minister is found in Bihar.

 Anurag Singh Thakur said, “In the last three years i.e.  As of July 31, 2025, the state government has received a total of ₹3,05,78,63,000 (about ₹3,058 crores) from the central government under various disaster-related heads. Out of this, the central government contributed ₹3,247.64 crores while the state government contributed only ₹330.99 crores. Himachal received ₹1,280.40 crores as the central share in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). 
Under the State Disaster Mitigation (SDMF), the state received ₹319.95 crores as central share, while in the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) 
Himachal received ₹1,637.84 crores as central assistance.  In addition, in the year 2025-26, the State has received assistance of Rs. 451.44 crore from the Central Government for immediate needs of post-disaster assessment, restoration and reconstruction. In the year 2025-26, under the National Disaster Mitigation Fund (NDMF), the State has received financial assistance of Rs. 9.45 crore from the Central Government”

 Anurag Singh Thakur said, “Modi Government has given 3 times more financial assistance in SDRF and more than 5 times more financial assistance in NDRF to Himachal Pradesh to compensate for the losses caused by natural disaster as compared to the Congress-led UPA Government. In 11 years, the Central Government has given an amount of Rs. 3190.39 crore in SDRF fund as compared to Rs. 947.408 in 10 years of the Congress Government.  Modi government has given ₹ 2,684.879 crores to Himachal in NDRF fund as compared to ₹ 553.285 crores given by Congress government in 10 years. During the disaster in 2023, the central government had given about 3146 crores. During the disaster in the year 2023, 16206 thousand houses (November 2023) and 93 thousand new houses (9 September 2024) were given by Modi government. Apart from this, this year the central government has approved 2006 crores rupees for Himachal under NDRF. Anurag Singh Thakur said, “It is sad to see that the Congress party is not refraining from doing politics even during the disaster and instead of rescuing Himachal from the disaster, it is running away from its responsibilities.  Congress says that the natural disaster in Himachal should be declared a national disaster, but why is Congress forgetting that in 2013, the Congress-led UPA-2 government had abolished the provision of declaring a natural disaster as a national disaster. In August 2013, during the UPA-2 government, the then Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Mullapally Ramachandran, while answering a question in Parliament, had said, “It is informed that there is no provision in the guidelines to declare a natural disaster as a national disaster”. This makes it clear that the provision of declaring a natural disaster as a national disaster was abolished by the Congress government itself. When this provision was abolished by the Congress itself, then on what basis are they demanding to declare the disaster in Himachal as a national disaster today. Congress spends all its time in running away from responsibilities and diverting the attention of the public, instead of doing the welfare of the people”