Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Oct 27: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today dismissed allegations of regional bias in the Government’s flood relief measures, asserting that assistance will be distributed strictly based on the extent of damage and not influenced by region, religion, or politics.
Intervening during the Question Hour of the ongoing Autumn Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Omar said that the compensation would depend solely on damage assessment in each area. “If there is more damage in Jammu, we will ask for more relief there. If there is more damage in Kashmir, we will seek relief accordingly. There will be no politics, no religion, and no regional bias in this,” he asserted.
He informed the House that a high-level team from the Central Government, including the Union Home Minister and the Agriculture Minister, had visited the affected regions to assess losses alongside local authorities. “Our officials conducted joint assessments with the Central team. This time, compared to 2014, the damage is higher in J&K,” he noted.
“After a joint assessment, it was observed that Jammu division has suffered comparatively more damage than Kashmir. Accordingly, we have prepared a relief package, which is being submitted to the Government of India for approval,” he said.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The Chief Minister assured legislators that once the relief package is approved, funds will be distributed among the affected people without any discrimination or political interference. “There will be no politics, no religion, and no regional discrimination in the distribution of relief. Where there is loss, there must be compensation,” he stated.
Omar reiterated that the damage assessment report and relief proposal had been finalised and sent to the Central Government for approval. “Once approved, funds will be distributed among the affected people without any discrimination,” he said.
The Chief Minister reiterated his Government’s stance on land allotment for the landless and the equitable distribution of relief for those affected by recent natural calamities across regions.
Responding to a query raised by MLA Pawan Kumar Gupta on behalf of MLA Sham Lal Sharma during the Question Hour, the Chief Minister clarified that the Government was not introducing any new policy as the existing framework was sufficient.
“It is not that there is no policy. The question is whether there is a fresh policy. We are not bringing in a fresh policy because there is no need for one,” he said, adding that “the Minister (Sakeena Itoo) has already given the correct answer. The question is not about the absence of a policy but whether there is a need for a fresh one. We are not introducing a new policy because there is no need for it.”
Omar reiterated his Government’s commitment to equitable relief and assistance, rejecting any suggestion of discrimination. “Our policy is not to seek relief for one region while ignoring another. This was never our intention,” he said firmly.
The Chief Minister explained that the Government had already taken measures to support those affected by recent natural calamities, including land allotment to landless families. “We have already announced that five marlas of land will be provided to landless families for construction of houses. The necessary paperwork is underway. For residents, the land will be allotted on a lease basis,” he said.
He said the initiative would follow the pattern of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), aimed at providing housing to economically weaker sections. “We will provide 5 marlas of land to landless people on the pattern of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY),” he added.
Earlier, Minister for Social Welfare Sakeena Itoo informed the House that the Government had not formulated any fresh rehabilitation policy for flood victims. However, she said a proposal regarding the allotment of state land measuring five marlas in favour of each landless family affected by natural calamities such as floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and earthquakes, on a lease basis for residential purposes only, was under active consideration.
The post Flood relief to be based on damage assessment, not region or politics: CM appeared first on Daily Excelsior.