SRI NAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sought a special financial package of Rs 44,000 crore from the Centre for rehabilitating the flood-affected and restoring the infrastructure damaged by the water fury.
“The state Cabinet, which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has approved the special financial package for submission to the Central Government, for providing the funds to tune of Rs 44, 000 Cr for rehabilitation of the flood-affected and rebuilding roads, bridges, and other infrastructure damaged by the floods,” an official spokesman said.
The approved proposal includes payment of ex-gratia relief against the loss of private structures to the tune of Rs 9 lakh for fully damaged pucca house, Rs 6 lakh for fully damaged kucha house, Rs 4 lakh for partially damaged kucha/pucca house, including boundary walls and Rs 1 lakh for other structures.
In the worst-ever floods witnessed by the state last month, 281 were killed and 15 lakh families, spread over 5794 villages, were affected.
Many areas in Srinagar remained under water for nearly a month, causing massive damage to properties, including residential houses.
Surprisingly, the government had recently said that the state suffered damage to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore in the floods.
The official spokesman said the Cabinet also decided to approach the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for releasing Rs 1,947.20 Cr under the NDRF, besides requesting the Union Government to declare tax holiday for J&K for a period of 10 years to help revive the state’s economy.
The Cabinet also recommended the Central government to issue directions to all banks/financial institutions for re-scheduling the loans/granting of moratorium and remission of interest during the moratorium period and providing fresh loans in favour of flood affected people.
It also sought waiving of loans availed by an individual up to Rs 3 lakh and interest subvention of five per cent on the loans already raised after completion of the moratorium period.
The proposal also includes financial support and concessions for the business community, agriculture and horticulture sector, transport sector, tourism sector, industrial sector, artisans and other sectors.
Additionally, it includes compensating the affected people for the loss of land due to flash floods and landslides at 50% of the value of the land in that area.
As per the initial damage assessment report prepared by the government, about 3,44,607 structures suffered damages, 90,000 cattle/sheep perished, crop loss reported in 6.52 lakh hectare of land, besides heavy losses to public/private infrastructure.