CM Sukhu: Centre yet to release Rs 1,500 cr disaster aid to HP
Synopsis
HP CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu says PM Modi announced Rs 1,500 crore for flood-hit Himachal Pradesh in 2023, but the funds were never released. The state paid relief from its own treasury and accused BJP legislators of staying absent during the crisis.
Key Takeaways
PM Modi announced Rs 1,500 crore in central disaster assistance to Himachal Pradesh after the 2023 floods , according to CM Sukhu .
More than a year after the announcement, the funds have not reached the state, the Chief Minister said.
The Himachal Pradesh government disbursed relief directly from the state exchequer , increased relief amounts, and provided housing to affected families.
CM Sukhu alleged that BJP MPs and MLAs were absent during the disaster and refused to join a joint delegation to New Delhi to demand the funds.
The post signals deepening centre-state friction over NDRF releases to opposition-governed states.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday, 24 July 2026, publicly accused the Union government of withholding Rs 1,500 crore in disaster relief announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the devastating 2023 floods, saying the state treasury had stepped in to protect affected families while the central funds remained unreleased more than a year later.
Context
In his post, CM Sukhu recalled that Prime Minister Modi had visited Himachal Pradesh in the aftermath of the 2023 monsoon disaster and announced Rs 1,500 crore in central assistance. 'एक वर्ष से अधिक समय बीत जाने के बावजूद यह राशि प्रदेश को नहीं मिली' — 'despite more than a year passing, this amount has not reached the state,' he wrote.
The Chief Minister said that rather than waiting indefinitely, his government chose to disburse relief directly from the state exchequer, increase the quantum of relief payments, and arrange housing for displaced families.
Policy Backdrop
The 2023 Himachal Pradesh floods — triggered by extreme monsoon rainfall — caused widespread destruction across the hill state, damaging roads, bridges, homes and agricultural land. Himachal Pradesh is among the Himalayan states most exposed to climate-linked disasters, making timely central transfers under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) framework critical to recovery.
Centre-state friction over the pace of NDRF disbursements is a recurring pattern, particularly when a state governed by the opposition interacts with the Union government. Several non-BJP-ruled states have raised similar concerns after monsoon calamities in recent years, pointing to what they describe as procedural delays in fund releases.
Stakeholders and Impact
CM Sukhu also trained his criticism on Bharatiya Janata Party legislators, alleging that neither BJP Members of Parliament nor state assembly members were visible during the disaster. He said his government invited BJP leaders to join a joint delegation to New Delhi to press the Prime Minister for the release of Himachal Pradesh's entitled funds, but no BJP leader came forward. 'किसी भी भाजपा नेता ने इसके लिए हिम्मत नहीं दिखाई' — 'not a single BJP leader showed the courage to do so,' he said.
Disaster-affected families remain the most direct stakeholders. The state government's decision to fund relief from its own resources placed additional strain on Himachal Pradesh's finances, which have been under pressure in recent years.
What's Next
The Chief Minister's public statement is likely to intensify political pressure on the Union government ahead of the parliamentary monsoon or winter sessions, where questions on NDRF releases to Himachal Pradesh could be raised. CM Sukhu closed with a pointed warning: the people of Himachal Pradesh have not forgotten the pain of the disaster, and they will not forget the neglect they experienced.
Whether the Centre responds with a formal disbursement timeline or a clarification on the status of the Rs 1,500 crore announcement will be closely watched by opposition-ruled states facing similar post-disaster funding gaps.
Point of View
Knowing parliamentary questions and media cycles will follow. The political risk for BJP is real: if the funds are documented as unreleased, the narrative of central neglect of a hill state could carry electoral weight.
NationPress
24 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Has the Centre released Rs 1,500 crore flood relief to Himachal Pradesh?
According to CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu , as of July 2026 , the Rs 1,500 crore announced by PM Modi after the 2023 floods has not been released to Himachal Pradesh . The Union government has not issued a public rebuttal to this claim.
What did PM Modi announce for Himachal Pradesh after the 2023 floods?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited flood-hit Himachal Pradesh following the devastating 2023 monsoon disaster and announced central financial assistance of Rs 1,500 crore for relief and reconstruction, as stated by CM Sukhu .
How did Himachal Pradesh manage disaster relief without central funds?
CM Sukhu said the state government used its own treasury to disburse relief to affected families, increased the quantum of relief payments, and arranged housing — rather than wait for the pending central disbursement.
Why is CM Sukhu criticising BJP over the Himachal Pradesh floods?
CM Sukhu alleged that BJP MPs and MLAs were not visible during the disaster and declined his invitation to travel jointly to New Delhi to demand the release of Himachal Pradesh 's entitled disaster funds from the Prime Minister .
What is NDRF and how does it relate to Himachal Pradesh flood relief?
The National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) is the primary central mechanism for financing disaster relief in Indian states. Himachal Pradesh 's claim for Rs 1,500 crore falls within this framework, and delays in its release reflect broader centre-state friction over fund disbursements to opposition-governed states.
