Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 29: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that a comprehensive proposal for rehabilitation of flood affected including compensation to the agriculturists, horticulturists, industrialists, traders, hoteliers, houseboat owners and other who suffered losses in the devastating flood, is being preferred to the Government of India for approval and early release of funds under the ‘Special Rehabilitation Package’.
“I am hopeful that Prime Minister of India will go beyond norms in supporting the rehabilitation of flood affected Jammu and Kashmir”, he said adding that the Prime Minister mentioned the devastating floods of Jammu and Kashmir in the United Nation’s General Assembly.
The Chief Minister was interacting with State Economic Reconstruction Forum (SERF) at a meeting here this afternoon which was also attended by Chief Secretary, Mohammad Iqbal Khandey, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, Chairman J&K Bank, Mushtaq Ahmad and other senior officers.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has constituted a coordination committee under the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to coordinate the efforts of providing relief to the affected families and cater to the needs of families residing in relief camps. He asked the SERF to develop rapport with the coordination committee for making relief programme a public private partnership.
Omar also told them that he will ask Finance Minister to hold a meeting with the representatives of SERF and other trade and industrial bodies alongwith team of concerned officers from Finance Department to discuss and factor their demands in the comprehensive recommendation report Jammu and Kashmir State is sending to the Government of India.
He said that categorical direction has been given to the concerned schools and educational institutions to ensure complete safety of students while resuming the studies. “They have been asked to ensure that school buildings are completely safe for the children”, he added and said that some 90 to 95 percent schools have resumed functioning in the Valley.
The Chief Minister said that no report of epidemic has been reported, adding the incidents of ailments in some parts are being attended by the Health Department and special attention is being paid to check water born and other diseases. “Fortunately there is no report of any epidemic”, he said adding that more than six lakh children of the age group of zero to 15 have been vaccinated against measles.
He said that timber will be supplied to all the affected families including those of Srinagar District for reconstruction of their houses on concessional rates and Forest Department has already been given directions to put in place measures in this regard.
The Chief Minister said that Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has disposed off more than 1500 carcasses and is presently removing about 2000 tons of garbage daily as against the normal disposal of 250 tons before floods.
The Chief Minister said that Asian Development Bank will be involved in the reconstruction of damaged public infrastructure, adding that he has asked his Principal Secretary to start dialogue with the Bank Authorities in this regard.
The Chief Minister said that the attendance of Government employees in the office has considerably picked up and it stood at about 85 to 90 percent in the Civil Secretariat today. He said that administration has been asked to take strict action against those who fail in attending their duties.
The SERF presented a detailed memorandum to the Chief Minister and discussed issues relating to immediate measures to be put in place for the relief and rehabilitation of affected families. The Forum raised the issues pertaining to the insurance claims, implementation of RBI guidelines for relief measures, ex-gratia relief of Rs. 5 lakh to each deceased in floods, relief to injured, relief to those who have lost property, exemption of VAT, exemption of Excise Duty, compensation to businessmen, industrialists, hoteliers, traders, horticulturists, agriculturists and other sectors.
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