Jammu: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday laid the foundation stone for the construction of new houses for families affected due to recent natural calamities and “unprovoked” Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor, in Poonch and Rajouri.
133 houses in Poonch and 388 houses in Rajouri that were completely damaged will be built free of cost with the help of High-range Rural Development Society (HRDS India), an official press release informed.
It said the LG reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of India, “under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi”, towards the complete rehabilitation of affected families and to improve the life of every resident of Poonch and Rajouri.
“Earlier, ex-gratia relief and employment to Next of Kins (NoKs) of the deceased were provided and compensation paid to the families affected by flash floods and Pakistani shelling in both the districts. Under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Central Schemes relief of more than Rs. 10 Cr was already provided to other house owners in Poonch. It is being ensured that not a single family is deprived of their rights and fundamental needs,” the LG said.
13 NoKs were provided government jobs in Poonch and 14 NoKs of deceased were provided ex-gratia relief. In Poonch, 160 Kachcha House owners and 425 Pucca house owners were provided the compensation to rebuild their houses.
In Rajouri, one NoK of deceased civilians killed during Operation Sindoor was provided government job. 465 houses which suffered damages were provided relief money to rebuild the houses. The residential houses damaged due to natural calamities in Rajouri were provided with compensation to restore the structures.
The LG expressed gratitude to the district administration, police, army, CAPFs, emergency responders, civil society members and volunteers for saving many lives during the natural calamities and “unprovoked Pakistani shelling” and extending support to the affected families. He also lauded the HRDS India’s team for its noble initiative.
The LG highlighted that the most pressing need for affected families is a safe roof over their heads.
“A total of 1,500 houses to be built in the first phase across the Union Territory and will be handed over to the beneficiaries within six-months of the beginning of the foundation work. These new three-bedroom prefabricated Smart Houses are designed to help families quickly get their lives back on track,” he said.
These houses will have specific facilities such as cowsheds. The maintenance for the next 5 years will be done by HRDS India. In the second phase, solar panels will also be installed in these houses. The houses being constructed at Poonch and Rajouri will cost around Rs. 51 crore, which will be borne by the HRDS India.
The LG directed the district administration for inclusion of the genuine beneficiaries. He said that there is no cap on the number of houses to be built.
“This project is specifically designed for those who are economically weak. Their welfare is the greatest service,” the LG said.
The LG highlighted that “under the leadership of the Prime Minister, the rapid, inclusive development witnessed across Jammu and Kashmir, including Poonch and Rajouri in the last few years is unprecedented in its pace and scale.”
“The people of Poonch and Rajouri faced neglect for decades and suffered from terrorism perpetrated by the neighbouring country. Today, a new ray of development has replaced that dark phase, and false promises. For the first time since independence, the people of these two districts are reaping the benefits of the development they have been entitled to. I assure that this process will continue unabated,” the LG said.
The LG shared the key measures taken to improve the infrastructure in Poonch and Rajouri.
He observed that over the past few years, 1,125 bunkers have been completed in Poonch and a proposal to build 5,693 additional bunkers has been submitted for approval. In Rajouri, 2,923 bunkers were constructed in five years, providing relief to a large population living along the border, he added.
The LG observed that 19 NoKs of “terror-affected families” in Rajouri and nine in Poonch were provided with the government jobs. He also instructed the district and police administration to identify the left-out terror victim families and forward their job appointment-related cases to the General Administration Department.
