Getting its act together after being initially numbed by last week's devastating floods, Jammu and Kashmir government today announced financial and other assistance to those hit by the disaster, including assistance of Rs 100 crore each to the Jammu region and the Kashmir valley and supply of free ration for six months.
Grappling with the worst deluge in over 100 years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that 137 relief camps had been set up in the Valley where over one lakh people were being attended to. Omar, who is operating out of a makeshift office with the main secretariat building under water, told a press conference at Srinagar airport that he had sent a team of six senior ministers led by Finance Minister Abdul Rahim to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central ministers about the situation in the state.
An all-party meeting has been called by the Chief Minister tomorrow to discuss the situation in the state arising out of the worst disaster in living memory. "We will seek suggestions from other parties to improve the relief and rescue operations in the state," he said.
Disclosing a slew of decisions taken by the state government, Omar announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3.5 lakh to kin of those killed in the floods and financial assistance of Rs 75,000 as initial instalment for those who lost their homes for rebuilding them. The ex-gratia for the kin of the deceased will include Rs 2 lakh announced by the Prime Minister earlier.
