File Photo: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Describing youth as the greatest asset of Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said the state government will soon formally recognise the valiant efforts of local volunteers in the rescue and relief operations during last year's floods.
Apart from the volunteers, Mr Sayeed hailed the efforts of national and international NGOs, police and security forces in launching massive operations to save precious lives during the devastating floods.
The Chief Minister attended two separate functions to hand over relief cheques to uninsured marginal traders and the destitute of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian districts of South Kashmir, whose livelihoods were washed away in the raging waters of Jhelum and its tributaries last year.
Asserting that he is averse to politics over the grave humanitarian crisis, Sayeed said reviving livelihood of weakest sections of the society is his prime concern.
"I still feel the helplessness of the people when I met them here at Khannabal Dak Bungalow last year. With their lives in tatters, I resolved not to rest till I remove the sufferings of all the affected people," he said.
Referring to the most unprecedented floods in more than a century that caused extensive damage and halted state's economic growth, he said the government will soon embark on a massive reconstruction programme to put infrastructure back on track.
"Leaving apart other important issues confronting the state, I only discussed with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi the concrete measures to be taken to ameliorate the sufferings of the flood-affected people and restoration of damaged infrastructure," he said.
Mr Sayeed said that following his meeting with the PM, things have started moving positively and he will not rest till all are rehabilitated in a time-bound manner.
He made a special mention of the voluntary efforts of local youths and reinforcements rushed by the Centre in rescuing people, when surging waters of river Jhelum had literally collapsed the state administration.
Praising people from within and outside the state in providing timely relief to the victims, he thanked collective and individual efforts in providing support to the victims.
Referring to the steps being taken to minimise damages caused by floods and other vagaries of nature, Mr Sayeed stated that dredging of riverbeds and strengthening of embankments will be undertaken on priority basis to prevent rivers and the rivulets from going wild.
"We have to be preemptive in providing advance information to the people living in low-lying areas," he said.
The Chief Minister further said that the state is pursuing Rs 2,500 crore Comprehensive Flood Management Programme with the Centre to increase the carrying-capacity of the rivers and fortifying the alternate spill-over channels.
"We will also examine calamity-resistant prototypes to minimise the damage to permanent structures in future," he said.
In all, 1,027 small traders from Anantnag, 400 from Kulgam and 100 each from Pulwama and Shopian districts were handed over relief cheques today.
Several others will be provided cash assistance after their verification processes are completed by the respective district administrations.