Shimla, Mar 1 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Sat Mahajan today said natural calamities had caused a loss of Rs 620.72 crore to the state during the present financial year.

Replying to a joint question by Ravinder Singh Ravi, Mahinder Singh and Damodar Dass (all BJP), he said the state government had only received a relief of Rs 102.84 from the Centre out of a total of Rs 620.84 crore loss during the year.

Mr Mahajan said of the total amount received, Rs 77.70 crore was received from the Natural Calamities Relief Fund and Rs 25.14 crore was received from the National Calamities Fund.

Last year, Himachal Pradesh had been provided a relief of Rs 39 crore only as against a total loss of Rs 366 crore, he said and added that the government has approached the Centre again for providing adequate compensation for the loss suffered during that period.

He said the state government has decided to set up a Long Term Disaster Management Board for effectively dealing with natural calamities in the state for which the Centre has sanctioned a sum of Rs 105 crore.

Replying to a question by Kuldeep Singh Pathania (independent), State Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said new tehsils and sub tehsils would only be set up in the state according to the geographical conditions and demand from the people.

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