J&K gets initial instalment of Rs 856 crore from Centre

About 250 have died and 125,000 have been evacuated from the affected areas by the army

The finance ministry on Friday said it had released in advance instalment worth Rs 856.29 crore in October to Jammu and Kashmir to help the state government deal with the unprecedented flood and natural calamity.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced a relief package for those affected by the worst floods in a century, including Rs 200-crore for Jammu and the Valley and Rs 3.5 lakh for each family that has lost a member.

To add to the troubles, the state saw some landslides on Friday.

About 250 have died and 125,000 have been evacuated from the affected areas by the armed forces. Some relief came with mobile operators offering free calls. BSNL, Airtel, Vodafone and Reliance Communications, among others, said they will offer a free calling facility for a limited period in the Valley.

In a related development, the Supreme Court on Friday brushed aside the Centre’s stand that the judiciary should not intervene on the Jammu and Kashmir flood issue. The court asked the government to provide immediate relief to the victims and consider setting up a unified agency to coordinate rescue and relief work. The court asked the Centre to spell out on Monday steps undertaken to accelerate rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations for the flood victims.