Flood victims can wait, let IAF get paid for rescuing tourists, non-locals
Govt earmarks Rs 500 Cr for Air Force as service fee
The state government has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the Indian Air Force (IAF) to pay it for ‘rescue operations’ carried out along with relief material distributed during September 2014 floods in Kashmir.
In the recently concluded budget session of J&K Assembly, the state government informed the House that a high level committee has approved flood package of Rs 1602.56 crore out of which Rs 500 crore have been earmarked for the Indian Air Force, leaving a balance of Rs 1102.56 crore only.
The government informed the House that the relief and rehabilitation package submitted to the Central government comprises of two components- a Special Package and the other under SDRF norms.
Government said the part of package covered under SDRF norms amounts to Rs 2926.11 crore, out of which Rs 1566 crore was earmarked for temporary restorations.
On October 18, 2014, we had carried news report saying that a bill of over Rs 650 crore has been charged to the state government for food items dropped from the choppers and for the boats that were used during the rescue operations in the floods.
Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami had dismissed the reports stating, “I have checked with the Ministry of Defence. No such bill has been raised. There is no truth in the reports.”
However, Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khanday avoiding the question said he is not aware of any such development.
“I don’t know anything about it. It might be the case but no such money is available to me. It is better to talk to the concerned Minister,” Khanday said.
However in October last year, Khanday while talking to us admitted that the bill has to be paid as per the procedure.
“Whenever IAF and NDRF services are availed by any State at the time of disaster, they have to be paid from the treasury of state’s SDRF,” Khanday said.
The government came under strong criticism for allegedly dropping expired food items from the choppers in the name of relief during floods in September last year.
The development comes at a time when flood victims are desperately seeking financial package for their rehabilitation.
