Decode politics: Why PM Modi is talking of ‘bandarbant’ in Himachal?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim at public rallies in Nahan and Mandi last week that hundreds of crores of rupees in flood relief funds allocated to Himachal Pradesh were disbursed indiscriminately by the Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu-led state government, has triggered a flurry of counter accusations by Congress leaders.

Chief Minister Sukhu and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi have accused the Centre, in turn, of not approving the state’s Rs 9,900 crore disaster relief demand.

At least 441 people were killed and more than 14,000 houses damaged in rains across Himachal in July-August 2023, with Shimla, Mandi, Sirmaur and Chamba districts the worst affected.

He said: “Yahan aapda ke baad kendra ne sainkro crore rupiya bheja hai… Yahan uski bhi bandarbant kar di gai… Mere shabd likh lijiye… Iss sarkar ka jaana tay hai… Main inse ek-ek paise ka hisab loonga aur Mandi ke logon ke haath mein rakhunga (The Centre sent hundreds of crores of rupees to the state government after last year’s disaster, but those funds too were distributed indiscriminately. Mark my words, this government’s collapse is imminent. I promise you that I will account for every single paisa from them and put it in the hands of Mandi’s people).”

The PM was referring to the money given to the state government under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). According to official records, Himachal Pradesh received Rs 1,148 crore in relief funds (Rs 360.80 crore under the SDRF, and Rs 787.25 crore under the NDRF) from the Centre over 2023 and 2024.

The SDRF, constituted under Section 48(1)(a) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, is the primary fund available with state governments to respond to notified disasters.