News Karnataka
Friday, March 29 2024
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Centre may form panel for ‘fair distribution’

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New Delhi: Asserting that Rs 745 crore and “free replacement of books and notebooks” for primary schoolchildren announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Jammu & Kashmir yesterday was “over and above” all the earlier flood-related grants announced by the Central Government, the Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh Friday said the Centre could not have been more liberal in providing funds to the J&K Government.

He also said that more funds are likely to be released “after examining the loss memorandum submitted by the State.”

An official spokesman said the minister was talking to a group of J&K-origin people living in NCR Delhi who called on him soon after his return from Srinagar after conclusion of the PM’s visit to the State.

Jitendra said a number of requests are being received for nominating a monitoring committee “to ensure fair distribution of the enormous funds being placed at the disposal of the State Government by the Centre.”

“There is also a suggestion that the money be directly deposited in the respective bank accounts of the individuals or families affected by the floods,” he added.
Jitendra said that Rs 1000 crore announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to flood-hit J&K in October has already been placed at the disposal of the State Government “with a request for its speedy disbursement.”

“The State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) with the State government was also given a green signal for utilization by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh,” the Minister said.

He said Rs 22 crore for roads and sanitation was announced by Union Surface Transport Minister NitinGadkari during his visit to Kashmir recently.  “This is in addition to unlimited supplies of ration, other relief material, medicines and disinfectants from Union Health Ministry as well as other Central Ministries and departments and also huge funding facilitated by the Centre from non-government sources,” he said.

Jitendra said last week, at the initiative of Union Finance Minister ArunJaitley, a special loan credit scheme for flood victims was launched “under which all the existing loans for reconstruction purpose are to be rescheduled and new loans uptoRs 10 lakh are to be distributed at a rate of 8.5 percent. “There is a provision for a moratorium period of two years following which the repayment of these loans can be done over a period of seven years,” he said.

On similar lines, Jitendra Singh said, the Union Finance Minister is “also inclined to announce a liberal Insurance scheme but due to litigation by certain elements, this initiative has been thwarted for the time being.”

“The Prime Minister has directed the concerned officers in the Central Government to make a prompt and detailed assessment of the State Government memorandum demanding Rs 44,000 crore so that a follow up action can be taken,” he said.

While stressing that the quantum of assistance provided by the Centre for flood relief and rehabilitation “is unprecedented”, Jitendra reiterated the Prime Minister’s advice that “good governance, quick restoration of public infrastructure, revival of economic activity and creation of conducive environment for attracting tourists is the key to the restoration of normalcy.”

 

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