Early Times Report
Srinagar, May 16: The state high Court has directed National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to file its response to the assertions by J&K government that Adhaar card is mandatory for releasing the additional financial assistance in favour of the victims of last year's devastating deluge.
The directions were passed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice N Paul Vasanthakumar and Justice Ali Mohammad Magrey while hearing a Public interest litigation filed by two lawyers last year.
Advocate General R A Jan submitted that the state government has urged the NDMA for exemption as the process of Adhaar cards was still underway in the state.
Jan made the statement after one of the petitioner lawyers, advocate Jehnagir Iqbal Ganie, submitted that central government was ready to pay additional financial assistance of Rs 50,000 each for severely damaged 'pacca' house, Rs 25000 each for partially damaged house.
However, the impediment as per the affidavit, he said, is that state government has not uploaded list on the website so that the payment is made to the beneficiaries.
"When the government uploaded the data, the central government informed us that the Adhaar card is one the essential requirements before we could release the amount," Jan said.
"Adhaar card cannot be made compulsory, supreme court has made the direction. You are making the process complicated.
There is gas connection card, ration card, voter identity card etc," the bench said and asked the Assistant Solicitor General to respond. However, the ASGI sought two weeks, which was granted to him.
Owners of 30,933 severely damaged Pacca houses involving an amount of Rs 154.66 crore and 93,024 partially damaged houses involving an amount of Rs. 232.56 crore will get benefitted.
Also, owners of 15,832 severely damaged Kacha houses involving an amount of Rs.15.83 crore and 47,550 partially damaged houses involving an amount of Rs.23.77 crore, will get benefited, too. |
