Dehradun, Sept. 13 -- The state Congress unit on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's announcement of a Rs.1,200 crore relief package for disaster-hit regions of Uttarakhand. Addressing a joint press conference at the party's state headquarters in Dehradun, former chief minister Harish Rawat and senior leader Pritam Singh accused the Centre of failing to appropriately address the scale of the devastation and of ignoring the need for a national disaster policy for the Himalayan region. "We expected the Prime Minister would respond to the damage assessment report of Rs.5,702 crore submitted by the state government, or at least announce a national strategy to deal with climate change-induced disasters in the Himalayan belt. Instead, the announcement was limited to Rs.1,200 crore, which has jolted the aspirations of the people," said Rawat. He recalled that during the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, the then Congress-led UPA government had sanctioned a Rs.21,000 crore package for rehabilitation and reconstruction. "Twelve years on, why are we still giving the same Rs.5 lakh compensation to victims? Construction costs and living standards have changed, but the relief norms remain outdated," he said. Pritam Singh said the relief package "does not match the magnitude of destruction." "The BJP government at the Centre has failed to show similar urgency or concern this time. We expect the state government to strongly advocate for Uttarakhand's case and press for adequate compensation," he added. The Congress leaders also pointed out that the state's unique vulnerabilities, its fragile ecology, recurring landslides, and the impact of climate change, warrant a separate national policy for Himalayan disasters. "This is not just about relief money. It is about research, farming patterns, building practices, and climate resilience. The Centre should treat this as a Himalayan crisis, not just a state issue," Rawat said. Hitting back at the Congress, BJP state media in-charge Manveer Singh Chauhan said the Prime Minister had personally assessed the situation and reviewed rescue and relief operations during his visit. "The Congress's attempt to undermine the relief announced by the PM is unwise. They need to be patient. This is an initial package, and further funds will be released after the Central team completes its assessment of the damages," Chauhan said. "It is wrong to compare the present floods and landslides with 2013 when Kedarnath was devastated and thousands lost their lives. The then UPA government's package was like a drop in the ocean, and much of it was marred by corruption. Kedarnath's restoration truly began only after PM Modi took charge," he added....