Omar Abdullah bats for all party delegation to PM for flood relief

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today pitched for sending an all party delegation to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the approval of Rs 44000 crores relief and rehabilitation package for flood-hit people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"An all party delegation should be sent to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister for approval of Rs 44000 crores package for flood-hit people of J&K," Omar said during discussions on flood situation in Legislative Assembly here today.

The proposal for the special package was submitted to Centre by the previous state regime after quantifying the flood losses.

Omar assured that the National Conference would also join the delegation and impress upon the Prime Minister to approve the full-fledged package for the purpose of rehabilitation.

"There is only one solution to these floods, it is approval of Rs 44000 crores," he said, adding that there should not be any cuts in this package as it is formulated to ensure justice to all the flood-hit people.

Taking a dig at the Centre for release of flood package in parts and pieces, he demanded the full approval of the grant without any penny cut from it.

He alleged discrimination and bias in flood relief distribution.

"The relief is being distributed on political basis. Ruling party is distributing relief to their own workers," he said.

Omar said that relief amount should be directly deposited to the bank accounts of flood-ravaged people.

He also hit out at Mufti government for triggering confusion in the minds of people by making contradictory statements over the issue of floods.

"One minister is saying that Srinagar city faced water logging not floods but another minister contradicts him by saying that it is floods and another minister says that it is localise water problem. We want to know from the government whether they call it as floods or something else," he said.

He also said that the government should take proper measures over illegal constructions in flood-prone areas.