Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 10: Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khandey has welcomed the decision of the Union Government to enhance the assistance under the revised norms of SDRF.
Under the revised norms notified by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (Disaster Management Division) and are effective from 1st April 2015, the scale of ex-gratia relief admissible under various categories has been significantly enhanced.
Chairing the State Executive Committee of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the Chief Secretary reviewed the progress involving settlement of claims on account of damage to public and private property across the state due to september-2014 floods and other subsequent natural calamities.
He also reviewed the progress of expenditure under the SDRF on account of search & rescue operations, relief measures, clearance of affected areas (debris and garbage disposal), immediate repair/ restoration of infrastructure etc during and after these natural disasters.
Commissioner Secretary, Relief & Rehabilitation, Dheeraj Gupta, informed the committee that during 2014-15, an amount of Rs 1079 crore was released to both the Divisional Commissioners and other departments, out of which Rs 556.92 crore have been expended upto 1st July 2015, on account of relief & rescue works and settling claims under various categories.
Meanwhile, the State Executive Committee sanctioned release of payment under SDRF to settle remaining claims received by Divisional Commissioners, Kashmir and other departments on account of September, 2014 and March-2015 floods.
Both the Divisional Commissioners and respective departments were also urged to submit the utilization certificates of the amount expended at the earliest.
Chief Secretary also asked for early submission of the loss assessment reports on account of damage to Rabi Crops and damage to public and private property and other infrastructure due to recent disasters so that relief can be sanctioned under SDRF.
The meeting was attended Principal Secretary Planning & Development, B. R. Sharma, Principal Secretary Home, R K Goyal, Director General of Police, K Rajendra, Commissioner Secretary, Commissioner Secretary H&UD, Bipul Pathak, Commissioner Secretary Finance, Navin K Choudhary, Commissioner Secretary, PWD, Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioners Jammu/ Kashmir, other Administrative Secretaries and senior officers.
Meanwhile, The State Level Sanctioning Committee of RKVY, headed by Chief Secretary, Iqbal Khandey approved the financial outlay of Rs 62.29 crore under its Normal component and Rs 90 crore under the National Mission on Saffron for the year 2015-16.
RKVY was launched in J&K in the year 2008-09 and has given substantial fillip to Agriculture and allied sectors in the State.
While reviewing the progress achieved under RKVY, Chief Secretary emphasized on further improving the implementation of the scheme across all the sectors viz agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, sericulture, animal, sheep husbandry, fisheries etc with special focus on integrated development of major crops, creation of water resources for irrigation, protective cultivation (establishing Poly green houses), farm mechanization, upgradation and strengthening marketing facilities and promoting best quality goat and sheep.
Chief Secretary also emphasized on expanding the area under Horticulture especially in Jammu region owing to its great economic potential as witnessed in the various Horticulture belts in Kashmir.
Earlier, Commissioner Secretary, Agriculture Production, M. A. Bukhari gave a detailed presentation regarding the achievements registered under various sectors during the previous years.
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