Union Home Minister’s announcement of additional amount of Rs. 1667 crore as part of the short term relief/reconstruction measure may bring some relief immediately to the State that has been bogged with acute financial crunch ever since it came to power four months ago. Only recently, the Chief Minister had said in a public function in Budgam that the previous Government had left an empty treasury for his Government. That speaks volumes of dire financial straits through which our State is forced to go. It is unfortunate that, right or wrong, the previous Government had left a cumbersome legacy for the incumbent Government, especially in the case of unresolved issue of relief and rehabilitation of the victims of floods of September 2014. This is the reason why the Coalition Government could not take any significant step during the past four months of its administration that would indicate its urge to fulfill its election promises.
Belatedly, the Home Minister has announced 1667 crore rupees for relief and reconstruction. The previous Government, after conducting survey of flood damages, had asked for an amount of 44 thousand crore rupees for the twin purposes of relief to the victims and the public infrastructure and the cost of rehabilitating the victims. The Coalition Government expected the Central Government to come up with reasonably adequate package that would not only meet the requirements of flood sufferers but would also rescue the State from financial crunch. After all, floods have adversely affected economy of the State. This can be rebuilt only if adequate allocations are available.
Various circles in the State have expressed their dissatisfaction with the quantum of relief sanctioned. Apart from some political personalities, even some insiders in the Coalition Government, whose views carry weight, have called it a cruel joke. They say that after waiting for ten months offer of paltry amount of 2400 crore rupees in the name of relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims is akin to humiliation. Some have gone to the length of questioning the rationale behind a Coalition Government that cannot appreciate ground realities. Sections among business circle in the State, too, find the quantum of relief allocations niggardly. They opine that the Centre should have given proof of its magnanimity and large heartedness particularly when allocation of relief and rehabilitation has been inordinately delayed to the detriment of the affected people.
With this feedback from official and non-official sources in J&K, revision of the allocation may become a necessity with the Home Ministry. However, with whatever little amount is in hand, the State Government should initiate the process of re-settling flood victims whose houses have been damaged or washed away, whose crops suffered devastation or who lost their cattle wealth in floods. It is now for the State Government how sooner and how efficiently it begins the process.
We appreciate that the Home, Finance Ministries and other central ministries and organizations have taken up the matter of providing financial assistance to the State in all seriousness. We know that the State Government had become handicapped and had to defer many crucial decisions pertaining to development, administration and infusing confidence among the people that it is seized of the full range of problems of the State. Naturally, we would have preferred if very liberal allocations had been made so that the Government could manage the backlog.
Nevertheless, after having crossed a big hurdle, the State Government is now poised for rehabilitating the flood victims and resuming the abandoned developmental projects. It should approach the Centre with proposal of reconsidering the quantum of allocation that has been announced and convince the central leadership that the State needs to be dealt with justice and equity. Of course, it has to ensure that funds are utilized judiciously and profitably and that the benefits percolate down to the masses of people.
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