Shimla, July 7 (UNI) In a major relief to families rendered homeless by the 2025 monsoon rains, the Himachal Pradesh government has announced a monthly rent assistance of Rs 5000 to enable affected families to secure private accommodation.
The decision comes in continuation of the notification from the Disaster Management Cell dated September 12, 2023, and applies to families currently residing in government relief camps.
According to a notification issued by the Department of Revenue (Disaster Management Cell) on July 5, the assistance will be admissible for a maximum period of six months and will be transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to the eldest female member of the family, as per the Parivar Register. The rent aid will be discontinued once the family secures its own accommodation.
Chief Secretary-cum-Chairman of the State Executive Committee, Prabodh Saxena, stated that the scheme will remain in force until March 31, 2026. The measure is aimed at supporting families in Mandi, Kangra, and other districts severely hit by recent cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides.
So far, around 150 families have been displaced during this year’s monsoon season, with two dozen villages across Mandi and Kangra reporting extensive damage. The 2025 disaster has already claimed 80 lives and injured over 150 people, all of whom are being compensated under the NDRF and SDRF provisions.
This initiative follows the government’s earlier announcement of a Rs 4500 crore special package in response to the 2023 monsoon devastation, which had affected over 500 families. The state had also offered financial aid of Rs 7 lakh for house reconstruction, free rations, LPG cylinders, and similar monthly rent support.
Officials said that while relief camps remain operational, the current assistance encourages families to seek private housing, ensuring their dignity and comfort amid prolonged displacement.
