Muhammad Mukaram
Early Times Report
Srinagar, Nov 13: The state government's plan to give Rs 2000 crore as rehabilitation package to the flood-hit people has come in for sharp criticism in the Valley, with the victims terming it "insult to the injury."
Recently, Minister for Finance Haseeb Drabu said that from the PM Rs 80,000 crore package, Rs 2000 crores will be utilized for relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people. This includes Rs 1200 crore for reconstruction of damaged houses and Rs 800 for traders hit by the deluge.
"Rs 3 lakh each would be given as compensation for fully damaged Pucca house, Rs 1.50 lakh for fully damaged Kutcha house, Rs 1 lakh for severely damaged Pucca house and Rs 50000 for severely damaged Kutcha house," he added.
Reacting to Drabu's announcement, Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Federation's president Haji Mohammed Yasin Khan said the PDP-led coalition government "has once again befooled the people of Kashmir."
"What we have learnt is that Rs 800 crore is for the affected business community and Rs 1200 crore for damaged houses. What will each flood-hit family will get when the number of affected families is about 15 lakhs?" asked Khan.
It has been estimated that only the business community of Kashmir suffered a loss of at least Rs 35,000 crore because of the floods; nearly 15 lakh families were affected while about 100,00 houses got damaged. The total losses are pegged at Rs 1 lakh crore.
Also, at least 5642 villages were affected across the state, with 2489 in Kashmir valley and the rest in Jammu division. As many as 800 villages remained submerged for over two weeks in the September 2014 floods.
Khan, who also heads the Kashmir Economic Alliance said, it was "clear beyond any doubt that the PDP befooled people. When relief and rehabilitation should have been the priority the PDP said elections would bring better government which would work for the flood affected. What happened to that promise? It is clear that PDP stressed on untimely elections only to come in power."
"Government has failed on every front. They made flood victims suffer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to Kashmir and the visit was given a huge hype by the government. They promised all help from the Centre, but on the ground nothing has been done," said Khan.
He said after coming to power, the agenda of PDP-BJP government is only to remain in power "either by hook or crook."
The government, he alleged, has sabotaged the rehabilitation of the flood victims "as this will serve the RSS plan of keeping the people of Kashmir suppressed."
Khan said that KTMF and the KEA will not silent spectators to the anti-people policy of the ruling coalition and that they would soon announce its future course of action.
"Basically through this so-called rehabilitation package this corrupt government wants to fill coffers of their corrupt ministers and officers and this we will not be tolerated," Khan said.
Before Modi's much-hyped Srinagar rally, many BJP leaders had approached dozens of flood-hit families and sought their support for making the rally a success. |
