KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

Minister for Relief and Rehabilitation, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Tuesday said the Centre has released Rs 1000 crore under Prime Minister’s package for flood-affected over and above the plan allocation.

The Minister was replying to a question by Mir Zahoor Ahmad, MLA Pampore who had sought information about the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

“Rs 1102 crores were also available under the SDRF for relief and temporary restoration. In addition, Rs 770 crore was released out of Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) towards ex-gratia for the damaged houses, specialized equipment  and machinery for the hospitals and books for the children,” the Minister said.

Bukhari said the Centre also announced additional assistance of about Rs 830 crores towards immediate assistance for relief and rehabilitation.

“The State Government has taken up the matter with the Government of India to provide enhanced relief for housing, horticulture, crop, livestock and all categories of damaged houses, over and above SDRF norms,” Bukhari said.

He said interest subvention on loans and moratorium on repayment of loans has been proposed for the losses suffered by the people in business transport, tourism and industrial sector.  “The proposals are under consideration of the Centre,” he said.

MLA Pulwama, Mohammad Khalil Band also raised a supplementary question on the issue.

Furthermore, he said that the government has decided to construct prefabricated shelters and also provide rent in favour of families who lost their shelters and which were not interested to stay in temporary shelters.

He also said that rent money was sanctioned out of the CM’s relief fund and was payable to each family @ Rs 2000 per month per family in respect of rural areas, Rs 3500 – in respect of urban areas and Rs 5000 for Jammu/Srinagar cities.

He said that three month’s rent has already been provided to more than 19000 families involving n amount of Rs 20.00 crore.

Responding to a question on steps taken to provide relief to the people of the state who suffered huge losses due to heavy and incessant rains this year, the Minister said, “As per Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) devised by the state for providing relief to the people affected by calamity, including floods due to heavy rains, the Deputy Commissioners provided relief to the affected people under SDRF norms.”

He said that in addition to the ex-gratia relief provided under SDRF norms, blankets, tents and free ration is provided to the affected as required.

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