Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 11: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the focus of the post-flood rehabilitation programme in Jammu and Kashmir should be on rebuilding of the economy and restoration of livelihood.
Interacting with various sections of the people during his extensive tour of flood-hit residential and commercial areas of Srinagar and Anantnag, Sayeed said the devastating floods have not only destroyed assets but severely impaired the process of income generation and it would take the State economy nearly a decade to reach the achieved levels of income.
“Even as the State Government has after long delay submitted Rs 44000 crore relief and rehabilitation plan to the Government of India, it will take a long time to get funds and benefits to fructify on the ground,” he said adding that the Centre shall also have to take practical and urgent measures to address the issues of immediate concern.
Sayeed requested the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to make Srinagar part of the Smart Cities announced in this year’s Union budget with an allocation of Rs 7000 crore in the current year. “If Srinagar is included in the Smart Cities project, the process of rebuilding can start instantaneously,” he said adding that the summer capital city should be included for urban renewal mission project as well as National Heritage and City Development and Augmentation Yojna.
Mufti also urged the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to send in their teams at the earliest to assess the needs of the State devastated by the floods.
The PDP leader said that if his party comes to power, it will give a policy framework on sustainable and planned rehabilitation and reconstruction of the areas devastated by the floods.
“Our party will take this tragedy as a challenge and I assure my people, that we would rebuild Srinagar as the best livable and planned city with all the amenities that a modern urban centre calls for,” he said.
Sayeed was accompanied by Parliamentarian, Tariq Hameed Karra and senior party leaders Syed Altaf Bukhari, Peer Mohammad Hussain, Abdul Hamid Kohsheen, Haji Parvaiz and others.
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