Uninsured flood-hit traders to get relief after Guv’s directive

After waiting for nearly one and a half year, the uninsured flood-hit Valley traders will finally get relief to restore their businesses.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Asgar Hassan Samoon said the decision to this effect was taken in a recent meeting with Governor NN Vohra.
“We had a meeting with the Governor and he has directed that on priority relief be distributed among those small-time traders who suffered losses in the floods and had no insurance,” said Samoon.
In Srinagar, there are around 8,000 traders whose businesses were not insured and would be provided interim relief by the government.
“The District Commissioner, Srinagar, will start transferring money into the accounts of these traders from the next week. Around Rs 40 crore will be distributed immediately,” said an official.
There are around 25,000 traders in Srinagar who suffered damages in the September 2014 floods.
The people whose houses suffered partial or full damages were provided interim relief in installments. However, the complete aid is yet to be released in their favour.
Officials said once the funds were released by the Centre they would reimburse it among the affected people.
“Relief will be distributed among the people who are still awaiting the aid once the funds are released by the Central Government,” said an official.
The traders who had their business insured were provided around Rs 2,500 crore by the banks.
The ones with no insurance will now get interim relief, which they had been protesting for last several months.
The Governor had recently directed Chief Secretary BR Sharma to finalise a relief scheme by February 21 for traders and small business establishments hit by the floods.
The Governor had told Sharma to finalise a scheme for interest subvention for restoration of livelihoods of traders, self-employed and business establishments.
The reconstruction plan for Jammu and Kashmir announced by the Prime Minister on November 7, 2015 includes a provision of Rs 800 crore as Central assistance for the restoration of business.
The Governor also directed that the proposal for disbursement of assistance for completely damaged, severely damaged and partially damaged houses, for which a Central assistance of Rs 1,194 crore was released under the PM’s Reconstruction Plan, be also finalised urgently and brought up before the State Administrative Council for approval.