Govt commitment to provide equitable flood relief: Omar

Srinagar, Oct 27: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Monday intervened during the Question Hour of the ongoing Autumn Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, reiterating his Government’s stance on land allotment for the landless and the distribution of relief for recent damages across regions.
Responding to a query raised by MLA Pawan Kumar Gupta on behalf of MLA Sham Lal Sharma, the Chief Minister said that the Government is not bringing any fresh policy as the existing framework adequately addresses the issue.
“The Minister has already given the correct answer. The question is not about the absence of a policy but whether there is a need for a fresh one. We are not introducing a new policy because there is no need for it,” the Chief Minister stated.
Elaborating on the Government’s initiative for the landless, Omar Abdullah said, “We have already announced that five marlas of land will be provided to landless families for construction of houses. The necessary paperwork is underway. For residents, the land will be allotted on a lease basis.”
Addressing concerns over regional parity in relief measures, the Chief Minister strongly refuted any suggestion of discrimination.
“Our policy is not to seek relief for one region while ignoring another. This was never our intention,” he emphasized.
The Chief Minister said that teams from the Government of India, including the Home Minister and Agriculture Minister, visited the affected areas to assess the damage alongside local authorities.
“After a joint assessment, it was observed that Jammu division has suffered comparatively more damage than Kashmir. Accordingly, we have prepared a relief package which is being submitted to the Government of India for approval,” Omar Abdullah informed the House.
He assured that once the package is approved, the distribution of relief funds will begin without any bias or favouritism.
“There will be no politics, no religion, and no regional discrimination in the distribution of relief. Where there is loss, there must be compensation,” the Chief Minister asserted.
Earlier, Minister Social Welfare Department, Sakeena Itoo said that the Government has not formulated any fresh rehabilitation policy for the recent flood victims.
However, a proposal regarding the allotment of State Iand measuring 05 Marla in favour of each land less family affected due to Natural Calamities (i.e. Floods, Landslide, cloudbursts, earthquakes) on lease basis for residential purposes only is under consideration.