90% relief process over: JK Govt
Secy Revenue says Rs 165 cr disbursed, 13000 families provided rent from CM’s fund
FLOOD AFTERMATH
Jammu and Kashmir government has said that 90 percent of relief process has been completed and it has spent Rs 165 crore across the state in the aftermath of September flood.
Officials in the State’s Revenue department claimed that 90 per cent of relief process has been completed by the JK government since the September 7 deluge hit the State leaving behind huge trail of death and destruction. “We have spent Rs 165 Crore on relief of flood victims across the State. Some 192,000 claims of those whose houses were partially or fully damaged have been settled,” the officials said. “The relief includes Rs 75000 for those houses which were fully damaged, Rs 3800 and Rs 1500 respectively for houses which suffered partial and minor damages. The amount is definitely meager but is according to the set norms.”
The Officials said that 13000 families who were living on rent have been covered under Chief Minister’s relief fund. “These families are being provided Rs 5000 monthly rent and the process would continue for four months—till March next year,” they said.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Commissioner Secretary Revenue Vinod Koul said the State is almost done with its job with regard to relief. “We didn’t do any rehabilitation and were only involved in relief operation. As far the real rehabilitation of people, traders and other sufferers is concerned, that depends on how New Delhi would respond to State government’s proposal of Rs 44000 Crore,” Koul said. “We hope the Government of India would sanction the amount sought by the government. The proposal stands submitted and New Delhi hasn’t rejected it.”
According to the figures available with the State’s Revenue department, 2.4 lakh households were directly and indirectly affected by the deadly deluge.
Pertinently, the BJP has accused the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of gobbling Rs 1700 Crore released by the Prime Minister Modi for rehabilitation of the flood victims. Interestingly, the flood victims across the State are already up in arms against the casual approach of the government with regard to distribution of relief cheques worth Rs 3800 and Rs 1500 respectively.
The Commissioner Secretary Revenue, however, said that JK government has already requested the Government of India to relax the norms for relief disbursement. “We have urged the Government of India to fix Rs 9 lakh for fully damaged houses and Rs 5 lakh for partially damaged houses,” Koul said.
