But a proper re-development plan is needed
Given the large scale of destruction that Jammu & Kashmir suffered during the flood last year, it is understandable that some sections of the public and political class are unhappy with the relief money that has been disbursed from the Centre. At the individual level, many have lost their homes and farms or their stores and offices have been extensively damaged; the process of re-building is a time-consuming one and can be frustrating. But one's heartfelt sympathies for the victims notwithstanding, it is still difficult to fathom the huge outcry that has erupted after the Union Government announced its second disbursement of relief money earlier this week. On Wednesday, representatives of the trade and tourism industries and members of the civil society rejected the package.
They criticised it for being inadequate and alleged that the Government had given out more generous packages in the aftermath of the 2013 Uttarakhand disaster. They even called upon the PDP to back out of its alliance with the BJP, which would effectively topple the State Government. Given this high-pitched outburst, one would be forgiven for assuming that the Union Government has indeed doled out a paltry amount. This is not the case. The Union Government has released rs2,437 crore for relief and rehabilitation this year. Add this to the rs2,602 crore given out last year, the total amount of financial assistance that has been sanctioned for the State goes over rs5,000 crore. That's not exactly a pittance. Sure, it is not enough to re-build the State overnight but this should not be a point of contention at all, as senior Government leaders have assured that more funds are on their way. The Omar Abdullah Government, which was in power when the river Jhelum overflowed its banks and flooded large parts of the State, had requested an aid package of about rs44,000 crore. Perhaps, the Union Government could help assuage the fears of the people by laying out, sooner than later, its overall re-building plan for the State. This is a comprehensive plan that includes development of infrastructure in power, highways, health, human resources, water resources, tourism, textile and education sectors. It is being monitored by the National Institution for Transforming India (Niti) Aayog, whose members are heading to Jammu & Kashmir soon to study the situation.
There needs to be an understanding that just throwing money at a problem is rarely ever a good solution. Even if the Government sanctions all that has been requested, the money will go down the drains, if not utilised in a well-planned manner. Also, one has to be naïve to assume that the protests against Central aid are not at least partially motivated by politics. The BJP and the PDP are still not natural allies, and their administration is up against vested interests who would like nothing more than to topple the State Government, vitiate the atmosphere with anti-India sentiments and, of course, pocket large chunks of the aid money.