Himachal CM reviews READY-HP, lays stress on disaster resilience
Shimla, May 12
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the Resilient Action for Development and Disaster Recovery- Himachal Pradesh.
He said that the total outlay of the project is Rs 2,687 crore and described it as a crucial initiative for strengthening disaster resilience in the state.
The Chief Minister, while referring to the increasing impact of natural calamities, said that the state witnessed 86 cloudbursts, 234 landslides and 121 flash floods between 2023 and 2025, resulting in a loss of above Rs 12,500 crore. He said that Himachal Pradesh is highly vulnerable to natural calamities as the state falls in the young and fragile Himalayan geological region.
Sukhu said that the project aims to restore disaster-affected infrastructure, including roads, water supply schemes, power and livelihoods projects, while ensuring a resilient recovery mechanism across the state.
He said that the objective of READY-HP is to support resilient disaster recovery. It will also focus on developing resilient public services, promoting livelihood opportunities through initiatives like green panchayats and strengthening risk-informed social safety and insurance mechanisms. He stressed the need for developing robust infrastructure to support farmers and horticulturists so that their livelihoods remain protected and resilient during natural disasters.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive that the CM is focusing on resilience planning. 86 cloudbursts in two years is insane. But what happened to victims who lost their homes in Kullu and Mandi last summer? Hope READY-HP has a proper compensation mechanism for small farmers who lost orchards.
Good initiative but read the fine print - Rs 2,687 crore! That is a lot of taxpayers money. I want to see detailed breakdown on how much goes to roads vs power vs actual community training. And why was the 2023 floods response so delayed if we had plans? 🤨
As someone whose family lost everything in Chamba flash floods, this gives me some hope. But please ensure insurance reaches actual victims, not just contractors. The mention of 'green panchayats' is interesting - we need local training on landslide warning systems.
Very necessary project! Himachal's Himalayan terrain is indeed fragile. But I have a suggestion - READY-HP should also include climate-resilient apple and horticulture varieties. Our farmers lost lakhs when hailstorms hit in 2024. Strong infrastructure for them is crucial!
Let's see how this performs! The figure of Rs 12,500 crore loss is staggering. I hope this isn't just another political announcement. Need regular audits and public reports on progress. Imagine if every panchayat had proper early warning systems and safe shelter points. 💪
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