While the state and Central government have been under fire over the delay in granting relief package to the last year flood-affected people, the J&K government today said it hoped that the financial package would be released soon.
“We are pursuing the financial package with New Delhi and we are hoping that it will be released soon,” J&K Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Basharat Bukhari said during the calling attention notice moved by MLA from Kulgam MY Tarigami in the Assembly.
The previous Omar Abdullah-led government had submitted a plan of Rs 44,000 crore to New Delhi for the rehabilitation of flood-affected state. Since the PDP-BJP government assumed office last March, the coalition government is also pursuing the same package. While the government claims that it is working to get the package, the locals accused the government of doing very little for the last year flood victims.
So far those who lost their houses completely during the last year flood have been given a meagre relief by the government and the anger among the people against the government over the delay in relief and rehabilitation is increasing every day.
Bukhari, informed the House that the J&K Finance Minister was pursuing the flood rehabilitation package rigorously with New Delhi.
“The flood package submitted has many components, which include humanitarian relief, rebuilding infrastructure and compensating the affected people,” Bukhari said.
The minister informed the House that the Central Water Commission has approved Rs 400 crore for strengthening the banks of the Jhelum.
“The money of the CWC will be spent through the Flood Control Department to strengthen flood infrastructure,” the minister said, adding that the World Bank had also released money for the flood-hit state.
Bukhari said Rs 1,500 crore had been released by the World Bank, which would be utilised for the reconstruction of flood-affected infrastructure and to strengthen the capacity to manage natural disasters.