Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Seeks Central Aid for Flood Recovery

Chief Minister's Appeal for Central Assistance

On August 6, in Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced his intention to personally approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi to request a special central package for the flood-affected districts of Rajouri and Poonch. He emphasized that the union territory lacks the financial capacity to cover the entire cost of reconstruction.

After chairing a review meeting on flood relief and rehabilitation in Rajouri, Abdullah informed reporters, "While we can manage some tasks ourselves, the reality is that Jammu and Kashmir cannot bear the full financial burden of rehabilitation."

He noted that following last year's floods, the central government had approved a package of approximately ₹1,400 crores for Jammu and Kashmir. "This time, we will prepare a comprehensive package and seek assistance from the center," he added.

Abdullah stated that incidents of sudden flooding and cloudbursts are inherently considered natural disasters, and there is no need for a separate announcement to request central aid. "As soon as the proposal is ready, I will personally submit it to the Prime Minister," he confirmed.

Reflecting on the sudden floods in Rajouri district on July 19, which resulted in four fatalities, the Chief Minister mentioned that the government has implemented actions in three phases: rescue, relief-recovery, and rehabilitation. He remarked, "Our top priority was to minimize loss of life. We regret the loss of four precious lives in this district. If the district administration and police had not acted promptly at night, the death toll could have been much higher."

He added that the government has now transitioned to the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase, focusing on restoring damaged infrastructure and public services.