PM package answer to flood woes of state: Centre to HC

Srinagar: Breaking its silence on the status of the Rs 44,000-crore relief package sought by the state government for the rehabilitation of the September 2014 flood victims, the Central Government today told the High Court that the “post-floods relief and restoration” and the “long-term infrastructure and development needs” of the state were considered when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Rs 80,068-crore Reconstruction Plan during his recent visit to Kashmir.

A house damaged in floods in Srinagar in September last year. A Tribune file photo

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 30

Breaking its silence on the status of the Rs 44,000-crore relief package sought by the state government for the rehabilitation of the September 2014 flood victims, the Central Government today told the High Court that the “post-floods relief and restoration” and the “long-term infrastructure and development needs” of the state were considered when Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Rs 80,068-crore Reconstruction Plan during his recent visit to Kashmir.

The High Court while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the floods of 2014, which caused havoc in the Kashmir region, had on November 3 granted the Union Government two weeks to disclose its stand on the status of the Rs 40,000-crore relief package sought by the state government.

“The primary responsibility of undertaking rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures during the disaster lie with the state government. The Union Government supplements their effort with logistics and financial support during ‘severe natural disaster. The NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) assistance is normally given to the state once the disaster is considered as of a ‘severe’ nature,” the Union Ministry of Finance submitted in its response filed today through Assistant Solicitor General SA Makru.

“Jammu and Kashmir had submitted a memorandum demanding/indicating damage of around Rs 44,000 crore. As such, post-flood assistance from the NDRF was provided on the recommendation of a high-level committee. In total, Central assistance of Rs 3,545 crore was announced/made available to the state of J&K in 2014-15 and 2015-16”, it said.

“Taking into account the post flood relief and restoration and long-term rehabilitation/development of the state, the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan for the state of J&K was announced by the honourable PM (Narendra Modi) on November 11, 2015, for Rs. 80,068 crore,” The ministry said, adding that the package included support for flood relief and reconstruction, flood management, assistance for small trade and business, development projects under roads and highways, power, health, sports, agriculture and food processing, tourism, urban development, security and welfare of displaced people.

“The Central Government has therefore considered the long-term infrastructure needs of the state of J&K, besides providing the immediate support to the floods victims,” the Finance Ministry said in its status report while seeking disposal of the PIL in “consonance with justice and equity”.

While taking the status report on record, the court has now asked the J&K Government to file its response to the averments made in the status report by the Union Government by or before December 15, the next date of hearing.