Omar demands Rs 600cr for quake-affected areas

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday demanded a Rs 600-crore package from the centre for the earthquake affected Doda-Kishtwar belt of the state. ‘We seek Rs 600 crore package for earthquake-hit families of erstwhile Doda district. The state government has already submitted the proposal for this package to the Union Government,’ Omar said addressing a gathering after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi laid the foundation stone of 850 MW Rattle Project here. Two persons were killed and 69 others, including 26 students and three teachers, injured when scores of buildings were damaged in a massive earthquake in Doda and Kishtwar districts on 1 May, affecting over 80,000 families. The chief minister also sought special component for land compensation under Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan (PMRP), Phase two. Omar said large number of houses have damaged in erstwhile Doda district in the devastating earthquake besides severe damage to public infrastructure.

'We hope that the Centre would come forward and help the affected families to reconstruct their houses,’  he said.