Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Oct 24 : Clarifying that the amount of Rs.745 crore and free replacement of books and notebooks for primary school children announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Jammu & Kashmir on Thursday was over and above all the earlier flood related grants announced by the Central Government and that more funds are also likely to be released after examining the memorandum submitted by the J&K Government, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology and Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Space and Atomic Energy, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the Centre could not been more liberal in providing funds to the J&K State Government.
He was talking to a group of J&K origin persons living in NCR Delhi who called on him soon after his return from Srinagar after the conclusion of Prime Minister’s Diwali visit to J&K.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, a number of requests are being received for nominating a monitoring committee to ensure fair distribution of the enormous funds being placed at the disposal of the State Government by the Centre. There is also a suggestion that the money be directly deposited in the respective bank accounts of the individuals or families affected by the floods, he added.
He said that Rs.1000 crore announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to flood hit J&K in the first week of October, has already been placed at the disposal of the State Government with a request for its speedy disbursement. The SDRF fund with the State Government was also given a green signal for utilization by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh during his visit soon after the floods rocked the State, he added.
Further, he said, Rs 22 crore for roads and sanitation were announced by Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during his visit to the Valley. This is, in addition, to unlimited supplies of ration, other relief material, medicines and disinfectants from Union Health Ministry as well as other Central Ministries and departments besides huge funding facilitated by the Centre from non-Government sources.
Only last week, Dr Jitendra Singh said, at the initiative of Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, a special loan credit scheme for flood victims was launched under which all the existing loans for reconstruction purpose are to be rescheduled and new loans upto 10 lakh are to be distributed at a rate of 8.5%. Further, he elaborated, there is provision for a moratorium period of two years following which the repayment of these loans can be done over a period of seven years.
On similar lines, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Union Finance Minister is also inclined to announce a liberal insurance scheme but due to litigation by certain elements, this initiative has been thwarted for the time being.
In addition to all this and much more, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the Prime Minister has directed the concerned officers in the Central Government to make a prompt and detailed assessment of the State Government memorandum demanding Rs 44,000 crore so that a follow up action can be taken.
While stressing that the quantum of assistance provided by the Centre for flood relief and rehabilitation is unprecedented, Dr Jitendra Singh reiterated the Prime Minister’s advice that good governance, quick restoration of public infrastructure, revival of economic activity and creation of conducive environment for attracting tourists is the key to the restoration of normalcy.
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