Joshimath residents to get six-month waiver on power, water bills, says Uttarakhand government

Cabinet also decides to increase the aid being given to the affected families as rent from ₹4,000 per month to ₹5,000

Villagers of Joshimath staging protest at Tehsil office in Joshimath. | Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

The Uttarakhand government on Friday waived off power and water bills for disaster-hit residents of Joshimath, the spiritual town affected by land subsidence. The government also froze loan recovery from the town’s residents for the next one year and said two adult members of families whose livelihood has been affected will get wages under MGNREGA.

The decisions were taken during the Cabinet meeting held in Dehradun on Friday. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told the media that each affected family will receive interim relief of ₹1.5 lakh and the State government had released a sum of ₹45 crore for the purpose.

Earlier, the State had announced assistance of ₹4,000 per month as rent to each family of the hill town for a maximum of six months. In Friday’s Cabinet meeting, it was decided that the rent amount will be increased to ₹5,000.

The Cabinet also decided that landslide-affected families staying in hotels/relief camps will receive actual expenditure or ₹950 per day, whichever is less. In addition, they will also receive ₹450 per head per day for food-related expenses.

“If a person is not willing to have food in the relief camp, then such person will be provided ₹450 per day for food. According to SDRF [State Disaster Relief Fund] standards, ₹15,000 will be given for replacement of animals. In addition, ₹80 per day will be provided for fodder of large animals and ₹ 45 for small animals,” an official statement said.

The government has decided that two adult members of the families whose livelihood has been affected due to the calamity, will get wages fixed under MGNREGA. The Cabinet has also given consent to waive electricity and water bills of disaster-affected families/individuals for six months starting from November 2022.

With regards to loans taken from banks, instructions have been given “that loan recovery of cooperative banks should be postponed with immediate effect and also from the level of other commercial banks”. A request would be made to the Government of India to postpone loan recovery, the statement said.

The Cabinet also decided that construction of pre-fabricated structures will be done in nearby areas like Koti Farm, Pipalkoti, Gochar, Gaukh Selang and Dhak, to rehabilitate people.

After conducting damage-assessment study, the decision on permanent rehabilitation will be taken. The State will initially spend funds on various short-term and medium-term work from its own resources till the funds are received as relief package from the Government of India.