J&K CM to meet PM Modi with special package proposal

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he will personally approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a proposal seeking a special central package for the flood-affected districts of Rajouri and Poonch.

He also noted that the union territory does not have the financial capacity to meet the entire cost of restoration on its own. “While there are some things we can manage on our own, the reality is that Jammu and Kashmir does not have the financial capacity to bear the entire cost of restoration.

“After last year’s floods, the Central Government approved a package of nearly Rs 1,400 crore for Jammu and Kashmir. This time too, we will prepare a detailed package and seek Central assistance,” the chief minister told reporters after chairing a review meeting on flood relief and rehabilitation in Rajouri. He said floods, flash floods and cloudbursts are automatically treated as natural disasters and do not require any separate declaration before seeking Central assistance. “As soon as the proposal is ready, I will personally submit it to the prime minister,” Abdullah said.

Reviewing the aftermath of the July 19 flash floods that claimed four lives in Rajouri district, the chief minister said the Government’s response had been carried out in three phases — rescue, recovery and rehabilitation.

“Our priority was to minimise the loss of human lives. We regret the loss of four precious lives in this district. Had the district administration and police not acted promptly overnight, the death toll could have been much higher,” he said.

Reaffirming his Government’s commitment to the affected people, he assured them that every possible assistance would be extended to ensure timely relief, the rehabilitation of families, and the restoration of infrastructure. During the visit, the Chief Minister met the families of flood victims, conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved, and assured them of the Government’s full support.

The Chief Minister later inspected the damaged Circular Road in Rajouri, where nearly 200 metres of the road was washed away in the July 19 flash floods. He also visited the flood-hit Aitey area to assess the extensive damage to residential areas, public infrastructure and local connectivity.

Directing the concerned departments to expedite restoration works, he instructed them to undertake necessary protective measures to safeguard vulnerable locations against future calamities.