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| Don't trust; Keep an eye on utilisation of flood relief package in J&K | | Home affairs committee to central govt | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Dec 11: Obliquely stating not to trust Jammu and Kashmir government, Rajya Sabha committee on home affairs has asked central government to supervise and strictly monitor utilisation of Rs. 80,000 crore flood relief package, recently announced by Prime Minister Narinder Modi during a rally in Srinagar.
Taking into the account funds provided to the state government besides the announcement of flood relief package, Rajya Sabha committee of Home Affairs while reviewing the steps taken by the state government for the relief and rehabilitation of flood affected across Jammu and Kashmir has recommended both Union Home Ministry as well as Prime Minister's office that utilisation of funds being provided to the state government should be strictly supervised and monitored.
Committee has further recommended that central government should constitute Joint Team consisting of the representative of state government and the central government for better administration and implementation of programmes with fair deal of justice and equitable distribution. Though the Home Ministry, according to the minutes of the meeting, initially refused to intervene directly but later said that representatives of central governments are frequently visiting the state to review the post disaster relief and rehabilitation works.
By asking the centre to keep an eye on the state government, committee has indicated clearly that there is trust deficit and that officers of the state are not trusted. There is firm belief in the centre that funds meant for relief and rehabilitation would be diverted and that the package would meet same fate which the earlier packages have met. Committee has strongly asked central government to ensure that relief reaches needy on ground and rehabilitation work takes off effectively.
It has further stated that since J&K is a strategic and a sensitive State, it needs to be rebuilt without any procrastination. The committee would like to be apprised of the planning and the concrete steps to rebuild the State. The Committee is of the considered view that the central Government should not shrug off its responsibility in re-building the state by taking the plea that activities concerning the long term rehabilitation programme fall within the jurisdiction of the state government.
On this account, the committee has recommended that central government should extend all support to the state government in the effort for rebuilding. While repeating to keep an eye on the utilisation of the flood relief package, the committee has recommended that rehabilitation of affected people and reconstruction of the infrastructure along with the revival of economy in the state should be taken up on utmost priority.
Further, the committee has expressed disgust and dissatisfaction with the preparedness of rescue and relief machinery and disaster Management set up in the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
It has said that despite all disaster management set up in the state as well as the national level, it was unable to comprehend as to how there was not enough preparedness, thus raising questions on the competence of the then state government headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. In sheer disgust, it has said that there is no use of referring to provisions of National Disaster Management Act 2005 and to reiterate that Disaster management Activities fall within the jurisdiction of the state government and central government only provides logistic support to the state government.
Therefore, the moot issue is the actual implementation of the provision of the Act; the committee has said and added that centre should have ensured that the state government takes up the relief and rescue operation on war-footing basis. Finding this as a major loophole, it has recommended that necessary steps should be taken to strengthen National Disaster Management mechanism. It has repeatedly asked the centre to keep an eye on the utilisation of funds by the state government. |
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