Center to announce package for flood-hit JK next week
The Center is all set to announce its package for the flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir next week as the state government is expected to submit its memorandum of losses within next 2-3 days.
“We are expecting that JK government would submit the proposal by Monday or Tuesday and accordingly we will announce the package,” a senior official in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told Greater Kashmir.
The official, actively involved in J&K affairs of MHA said that package would have been announced, but delay on part of the J&K Government has hampered it.
The MHA official said that Rs 200 crore would be separately released for Flood Threat Management Programme. The official said that they are in constant touch with JK Government. “They (J&K) Government has assured that memorandum of losses will be submitted to the Center with next 2-3 days,” he said adding that Center is worried as winter in Kashmir is approaching fast.
“Their (JK Government) has not submitted the memorandum of losses till date as some areas are still under water,” the official said adding that a separate package would also be announced for JK’s industrial sector.
The MHA official said, “So far Center has released about Rs 2400 crore for flood –hit J&K. Out of which Rs 1000 crores were announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to the State. Rs 100 crore have been kept separately for the revival of the tourism industry.”
JK government has said that the losses to properties and businesses were in excess of Rs 100,000 crore (one trillion). It has said that estimated damage to the housing sector to the tune of Rs 30000 crore and losses in the business and public sectors at Rs 70000 crore. However the state government has termed the losses as preliminary assessment.
Kashmir Center for Social and Development Studies, a civil society group t two which weeks ago had said the damage caused to the public and private properties due to the flood is over Rs one trillion. The floods first submerged south Kashmir districts on September 3 and 4. Later on September 7, the floods devastated Srinagar.
The calamity, worst in the century, caused colossal losses to life and massive damage to housing and business sectors, public institutions particularly hospitals, road infrastructure,, agriculture and transport sectors. Over 300 people lost their lives across J&K, including 85 persons from Kashmir.
A preliminary survey by the government had revealed that the flood damaged over 3.50 lakh structures, including 2.50 lakh residential houses and affected 12 lakh families in 5500 flood-hit villages across the State. In worst-hit Kashmir, 2.60 lakh structures got damaged with 95000 houses in Srinagar alone.