Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 3: Opposition PDP today said the Centre should announce a comprehensive relief package for the flood- hit Jammu and Kashmir as the approaching winter season could have serious implications for the families who have lost their homes in the recent devastating floods.
“The Centre should announce a comprehensive and acceptable relief and rehabilitation package for people in the flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir given the enormity of the tragedy,” PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said.
He expressed his dismay over the “sluggish” relief and rehabilitation measures for the flood-affected people in the State during his interaction with trade and business bodies here.
The former Chief Minister called for tangible action on war-footing basis to provide shelter to the displaced families, ensure rations for the victims, assistance for reconstruction of damaged houses, regeneration of livelihood and revival of trade and business activities.
The People’s Democratic Party leader said food, housing and livelihood are the areas of immediate concern for the flood- affected people and the same need emergency response from the Centre.
He said the half-hearted measures are not going to help the large population whose lives and livelihoods have been ravaged by the devastating floods.
“The approaching winter season could have serious implications for the families who have lost their homes, and immediate measures need to be taken to provide them with decent shelters,” Sayeed said.
“Unfortunately, almost a month after the devastating floods hit Kashmir, the State Government is yet to come out with the Recovery Needs Assessment data to press for a reasonable relief package for the flood-affected people from the Centre,” he said.
Besides announcing a relief package for displaced households for reconstruction and restoration of damaged houses, the Government must responsively workout a special flood recovery grant for the revival of affected trade, businesses, agriculture and horticulture sectors, he said.
“The package should include a new credit line with special interest rates, tax incentives, debt moratorium and investment privileges for the businesses affected by the floods,” he said.
Sayeed said as per the preliminary reports around five lakh households have got displaced due to the floods in Kashmir and the Government’s priority should be to provide them with all-weather shelters as was done during 2005 earthquake.
“The paltry relief of Rs 70,000 announced by the State Government for each fully damaged house is grossly inadequate,” he said.
The PDP patron said the response to the flood crisis calls for using all available resources, both within and outside the State, including approaching the multinational institutions like Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery (GFDRR) to cope up with the massive rehabilitation challenge ahead.
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