Himachal Pradesh experienced 86 cloudbursts, 234 landslides, and 121 flash floods between 2023 and 2025, leading to a total loss of Rs 12,500 crore. The state government, under Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s leadership, conducted a high-level meeting to assess the impact and progress of the Resilient Action for Development and Disaster Recovery- Himachal Pradesh (READY-HP) project. The project, with a budget of Rs 2,687 crore, aims to enhance disaster management capabilities and minimize the devastation caused by such calamities.
Chief Minister Sukhu highlighted the state’s susceptibility to natural disasters due to its location in the young and fragile Himalayan region. The READY-HP initiative focuses on restoring damaged infrastructure like roads, water supply systems, and power facilities, along with supporting livelihood projects to ensure a robust recovery mechanism statewide. Emphasizing the importance of resilient recovery, the project also aims to bolster public services, create livelihood opportunities through initiatives like green panchayats, and strengthen risk-informed social safety nets and insurance mechanisms.
The Chief Minister underscored the necessity of building sturdy infrastructure to safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and horticulturists, ensuring their resilience in the face of natural disasters. The meeting, attended by top officials including Chief Secretary Sanjay Gupta and Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, discussed the critical role of READY-HP in fortifying the state’s disaster response and recovery strategies.
