Swift Relief: Uttarakhand's Urgent Ex-Gratia Directive

In a decisive move, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has mandated that ex-gratia payments be disbursed within 72 hours following a natural disaster-related fatality. This directive aims to expedite assistance to affected families.

State Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman conveyed the chief minister's instructions in a meeting with district magistrates. He emphasized that, even if delays occur, payments must be completed within a week. Suman also directed urgent assessments of monsoon-induced damages to facilitate requests for additional central funding.

A central government team is slated to visit the region to evaluate the impact of recent rains and floods. District magistrates have been instructed to prepare comprehensive presentations for this delegation to ensure swift action and relief for affected areas.

(With inputs from agencies.)