Jammu, Sept 19: In a deeply reassuring gesture, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Friday visited the flood-ravaged border village of Badyal Brahmana in R S Pura and assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the Central government stands firmly with them in this hour of distress.
“The central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands by the people of J&K in this time of crisis,” Chouhan said during his visit, emphasizing solidarity and immediate relief measures. He urged the J&K government to promptly utilize the Rs 2,499 crore disaster fund available to address the ongoing crisis, assuring that additional central assistance would be provided if necessary.
Upon arriving, the Minister first walked through the affected fields to personally assess the damage caused to standing crops—a move appreciated by the local farming community. He later addressed a large crowd of flood-affected families, many of whom were visibly moved by the outreach.
He assured that comprehensive support will be extended after detailed damage assessment reports are submitted by the J&K government. Central teams from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Jal Shakti, Rural Development, and Agriculture have already conducted preliminary surveys in the flood-hit areas and are in the process of finalizing their findings.
“Once the J&K government submits its memoranda, the Centre will leave no stone unturned in providing relief,” Chouhan reaffirmed.
In a significant announcement that brought a wave of relief, the Minister declared that:
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One installment under PM-Kisan would be immediately released for affected farmers.
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MGNREGA workers would receive an additional 50 man-days, increasing their total to 150.
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Compensation for livestock loss will be provided to all farmers affected.
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Reconstruction of 5000 damaged homes will be undertaken under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, with Rs 1,30,000 per home, including funds for toilets.
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Rs 76 crore support would be released to Self Help Groups that suffered losses.
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Farmers were also advised to reuse sand deposits on their fields caused by floodwaters, and the J&K Mining Department was urged to relax norms to allow this.
Later, Chouhan chaired a high-level review meeting with J&K government officials in Jammu city and spoke to the media to detail the Centre’s action plan.
