Srinagar: Nearly a month after the devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir, thousands of flood-affected families and farmers are still awaiting government relief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the Union Territory soon, while the administration has not yet finalized the damage assessment report.
The floods in August and September devastated large tracts of agricultural land, destroyed homes, and damaged key infrastructure, including bridges and roads, across the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley. Despite a preliminary assessment conducted earlier this month, the final damage report has not been submitted to the central government. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar told ETV Bharat that the administration has not yet finalized the damage assessment in the province. Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg said the assessment is underway by the relevant officials. Garg told ETV Bharat that the Chief Secretary has directed all departments to complete the assessment by Thursday. Once the assessment is complete, the report will be sent to the Government of India.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level review meeting today. He directed officials to expedite the assessment of damages and submit a report to the Indian government for a comprehensive flood relief package. Omar said on Saturday that the floods have damaged or washed away 330 bridges, approximately 1,500 kilometers of roads, government buildings, crops, and fruits. Regarding PM Modi’s possible visit, he said his government would place before him a demand for a comprehensive relief package to provide the necessary relief to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He also assured compensation to apple growers affected by the highway closures.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary expressed hope that the Prime Minister would announce a package for Jammu and Kashmir that would double the 2014 package. Choudhary said that everyone in Jammu, from shopkeepers to traders, has suffered losses. Farmers and apple growers in Kashmir are equally affected.
In 2014, Prime Minister Modi announced a relief and reconstruction package of ₹80,000 crore after visiting Jammu and Kashmir, which was devastated by devastating floods. Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who visited the affected areas of Jammu last week, stated that more than 5,000 houses had been damaged. He stated that the central government would provide all possible assistance to the affected people. He said, “After the Jammu and Kashmir government submitted a memorandum, the central government will leave no stone unturned in providing relief.”
Chouhan also announced that each affected family would receive ₹1.3 lakh assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), along with funds for a separate toilet. This ₹1.3 lakh assistance is provided by the Rural Development Department to people living in extreme poverty.
Opposition leaders have also increased pressure for flood relief and rehabilitation of the affected people. BJP General Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to demand increased financial assistance. Sharma said, “I have requested the Lieutenant Governor to substantially increase the amount of relief for the affected families so that people can resume their lives with dignity.”
All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Dr. Syed Naseer Hussain said that the Congress party will raise this issue with the Government of India to ensure adequate relief is provided to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
PDP spokesperson Zuhaib Mir said that the government should have already provided relief to the people. Mir questioned why the government was delaying the assessment of the damage and waiting for the final assessment by the officials. Before the final assessment, the government should have provided initial relief to the people and farmers.
