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J&K autumn assembly session: Assessment shows more flood damage in Jammu than Kashmir: CM Omar
While talking in the assembly during the question hour, the chief minister said that the damage due to the recent floods was more in Jammu than Kashmir. “Government of India sent a team. Our people joined them to assess damage
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister on Monday said that compensation to the recent flood-affected families will be provided strictly as per damage assessment and not on any regional or religious considerations stressing that Jammu has suffered more in the recent natural calamity.
While talking in the assembly during the question hour, the chief minister said that the damage due to the recent floods was more in Jammu than Kashmir. “Government of India sent a team. Our people joined them to assess damage. Home minister came and visited a couple of areas in Jammu. Agriculture minister came and witnessed a crop damage, did a meeting and left. We did the whole damage assessment. On assessing the damage, we found that this time Jammu has suffered more damage than Kashmir (as against 2014). We didn’t try to balance this (regionally). Somebody tried to say that they will think Kashmir has not suffered any damage. I told them that where ever damage is more, they should get more relief,” he said.
Omar was responding to a question by BJP MLA Sham Lal Sharma and other members on why there was no rehabilitation of flood affected people so far.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to fairness and justice in relief distribution, Omar said that some MLAs think that the government will do regional politics and will seek relief only when it is more in Kashmir. “This is not our politics. Neither was this our motive ever,” he said.
“We have prepared the package (of assessment) and it is being submitted to the Government of India. When the approval comes from GoI we will start distributing the relief. And in distribution of relief no religion or region will be taken into consideration,” he said.
Omar also said that there was no need of a fresh policy on granting land to landless. “Landless people will be given land for construction of a house, that we have already announced and the action on that front is being taken. Where ever available, the land will be provided on PMAY pattern. The documentary process is on,” he said.
209 crore loss to fruit and allied sector due to highway closure
Minister for agriculture production department, Javid Ahmad Dar, informed the house that as per preliminary reports of the department around ₹209 crore loss to agriculture and allied sectors has been reported due to recent closure of National Highway by landslides and flash floods in agriculture and allied sectors.
The minister made these remarks while replying a question raised by legislator Waheed-Ur-Rehman Para in the legislative assembly. “As per the department’s assessment, There has been a loss of ₹209 crore to agriculture and allied sectors like horticulture, sheep and animal husbandry,” Dar said.
The minister informed the house that under the re-structured weather based crop insurance scheme (RWBCIS), Apple, Saffron, Mango and Litchi crops have been notified to provide cover. He added that the tendering process for selection of Insurance company (out of the empanelled Insurance companies notified by the GoI) to provide insurance cover to these horticulture crops is in process.
Regarding CA storage, the minister said that the department is providing assistance for establishment of CA Storage units in the JKUT and the estimated requirement for Controlled Atmosphere (CA) storage is 6.00 LMT, (30% of annual production fruit crops). He added that currently, Jammu and Kashmir has 2.92 LMT of capacity and the department is contemplating to increase the CA Storage capacity in next five years through Centrally Sponsored Scheme Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) besides J&K government is also providing top-up subsidy from UT Capex
Regarding the steps being taken for upgradation and improvement of Fruit Mandi at Pulwama and Rajpora, the minister said that the department has established two fruit and vegetable Markets in Pulwama district at Prichoo Pulwama and Pachhar Rajpora Pulwama, which have been made functional. He added that the basic infrastructure is available in these mandis, however, up-gradation and improvement of the mandis is a continuous process for which funds to the tune of ₹1.28 crore and ₹3.68 crore respectively have been earmarked for up-gradation under NABARD for the Year 2025-26.
Govt allocates ₹505 crore funds under C&T in J&K during 2025- 26 FY: Dy. CM
Deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary informed that the government has allocated ₹50, 556.9 lakh funds under Cities and Towns (C&T) and ₹3,268. 29 lakh under Potholes scheme in J&K during 2025- 26 Financial year.
The deputy CM was replying to a question raised by Legislator Javid Hassan Baig.
While sharing the district wise details, Choudhary said that the government will ensure quality work is carried out across J&K and strict action shall be taken against the concerned if quality is compromised.
He said that the formulation of plans and allocation of funds in respect of Roads and Buildings are undertaken by the Government in accordance with established norms and approved procedures.
He said that the process is guided by the assessed requirements received from the field divisions and finalised keeping in view the availability of resources as well as the recommendations of the MLAs and District Development Council (DDC) Members.
