*All 659 Admn units declared functional
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 15: The State Council of Ministers today decided to recommend to the Centre Rs 5 lakh package for every damaged house in floods in Jammu and Kashmir so that the people could rebuild their houses and appointed three Special Relief Commissioners to oversee/monitor rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures.
The Council of Ministers that met at Chief Minister’s official Gupkar residence in Srinagar for an hour at 11 am today also announced that Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, the seat of the Government, would resume functioning from September 18 and would not observe any holiday, not even Saturday and Sunday, till Durbar closes in Srinagar in last week of October as part of annual practice.
The Cabinet thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help rendered to the State Government in this hour of crisis.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Council of Ministry decided to recommend to the Centre the payment of Rs 5 lakh per flood affected family apart from Rs 3.5 lakh relief to next of kin of deceased to help the family rebuild their houses.
“The proposal will be submitted to the Government of India shortly so that it could be included in the package,’’ sources said.
A State delegation of seven Ministers had already submitted a letter to the Prime Minister on behalf of Omar Abdullah for comprehensive relief package to the State including declaration of floods as “national calamity’’ and relief on pattern of 2010 Leh cloudbursts.
The Ministry decided that the Civil Secretariat, which was non functional since worst ever floods struck Kashmir on the night of September 7 and 8, would resume functioning from September 18. The Government, which has been functioning from Hari Niwas, will also shift to the Secretariat on that day
The Chief Minister directed Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey to make all possible arrangements for working of the Government from the Civil Secretariat.
The Chief Secretary has already issued a directive to the employees to report to the duties.
It also decided that all other Government offices should also start functioning immediately, where the water level has receded. It decided that from September 18 onwards till closure of the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar in last week of October, the Secretariat will not observe any holiday including Saturdays or Sundays to ensure that the people’s grievances were addressed to. Other Government offices in Kashmir will also not observe any holidays except for educational institutions.
The Council of Ministry also condoled the loss of lives in the unprecedented floods which have struck the State.
Commiserations were also expressed with those injured and displaced during the floods and those who have suffered on account of the calamity.
It expressed complete solidarity with the flood- affected people and firmly resolved to rebuild livelihoods, private properties and public infrastructure, he said.
Considering the enormity of the clean up and sanitation operations in the Srinagar Municipal Corporation areas, it was decided to divide these areas into three zones and put three senior officers incharge of each zone for this purpose, sources said. The officers appointed as Incharge of the Zones included Sheikh Mushtaq Ahmed, Secretary Higher Education, Dr GN Qasba, Commissioner SMC and Tufail Mattoo, MD JK Cable Car Corporation.
The Housing and Urban Development Department shall work out the details in this regard immediately.
The Government ordered appointment of three Special Relief Commissioners with immediate effect to oversee/monitor the rescue, relief and rehabilitation in flood affected divisions/regions.
Asgar Hussain Samoon has been assigned the charge of South Kashmir with headquarters at Anantnag while Bipul Pathak was assigned Jammu division with headquarters at Jammu. Mohammad Shaffi Rather will look after North Kashmir with headquarters at Bandipora.
The Government also decided to make all 659 new administrative units functional with immediate effect without waiting for any approval.
The General Administration Department issued an order to this effect today on the directions of Chief Minister
Omar Abdullah, who was scheduled to make the administrative units functional on September 8 in a grand function but the inauguration was deferred in view of the floods.
The Government has directed Commissioner/Secretary, Revenue Department and Secretary Rural Development Department to take necessary steps and report to the Government before September 18 by making all 659 administrative units functional.
Meanwhile, the Council of Ministry today expressed sincere thanks to the Centre for its support during rescue and relief operations in the flood ravaged State.
During its meeting, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the Narendra Modi Government for the support given to the State and help rendered in this hour of crises, sources said.
The efforts of the Army, Air Force, NDRF, Civil Society Organisations, NGOs, individuals and all other stakeholders were deeply appreciated, they said.
The Ministry reiterated the requirements, projected to the Prime Minister by a group of State Government Ministers recently at New Delhi, for sanctioning relief for the flood victims in relaxation of SDRF norms, sources said.
It also urged the Prime Minister to issue necessary sanctions in this regard.
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