Jammu, Nov 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today laid the foundation stone for construction of new houses for families affected due to recent natural calamities and unprovoked Pakistani shelling during Operation Sindoor, in Poonch and Rajouri.

133 houses in Poonch and 388 houses in Rajouri that were completely damaged will be built free of cost with the help of High-range Rural Development Society (HRDS India).

The Lieutenant Governor reaffirmed the commitment of Government of India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, towards complete rehabilitation of affected families and to improve the life of every resident of Poonch and Rajouri

“Earlier, ex-gratia relief and employment to Next of Kins (NoKs) of the deceased were provided and compensation paid to the families affected by flash floods and Pakistani shelling in both the districts. Under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Central Schemes relief of more than Rs. 10 Cr was already provided to other house owners in Poonch. It is being ensured that not a single family is deprived of their rights and fundamental needs,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

13 NoKs were provided government jobs in Poonch. 14 NoKs of deceased were provided ex-gratia relief. In Poonch 160 Kachcha House owners and 425 Pucca house owners were provided the compensation to rebuild their houses. In Rajouri, one NoK of deceased civilians martyred during Operation Sindoor was provided government jobs. 465 houses which suffered damages were provided relief money to rebuild the houses. The residential houses damaged due to natural calamities in Rajouri were provided with compensation to restore the structures.

He expressed gratitude to the district administration, police, army, CAPFs, emergency responders, civil society members and volunteers for saving many lives during the natural calamities and unprovoked Pakistani shelling and extending support to the affected families. He also lauded the HRDS India’s team for its noble initiative.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that the most pressing need for affected families is a safe roof over their heads.

“A total of 1,500 houses to be built in the first phase across the Union Territory and will be handed over to the beneficiaries within six-months of the beginning of the foundation work. These new three-bedroom prefabricated Smart Houses are designed to help families quickly get their lives back on track,” he said.

These houses will have the specific facilities such as cowsheds. The maintenance for the next 5 years will be done by HRDS India. In the second phase, solar panels will also be installed in these houses. The houses being constructed at Poonch and Rajouri will cost around Rs.51 Crore, which will be borne by the HRDS India.

The Lieutenant Governor directed the district administration for inclusion of the genuine beneficiaries. He said that there is no cap on the number of houses to be built.

“This project is specifically designed for those who are economically weak. Their welfare is the greatest service,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that under the leadership of the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the rapid, inclusive development witnessed across Jammu and Kashmir, including Poonch and Rajouri in the last few years is unprecedented in its pace and scale.

“The people of Poonch and Rajouri faced neglect for decades and suffered from terrorism perpetrated by the neighbouring country.  Today, a new ray of development has replaced that dark phase, and false promises.  For the first time since independence, the people of these two districts are reaping the benefits of the development they have been entitled to. I assure that this process will continue unabated,” the Lieutenant Governor said.

The Lieutenant Governor shared the key measures taken to improve the infrastructure in Poonch and Rajouri.

He observed that over the past few years, 1,125 bunkers have been completed in Poonch and proposal to build 5,693 additional bunkers has been submitted for approval.  In Rajouri, 2,923 bunkers were constructed in five years, providing relief to a large population living along the border, he added.

The Lieutenant Governor observed that 19 NoKs of terror affected families in Rajouri and 9 in Poonch were provided with the government jobs. He also instructed the District and Police Administration to identify the left-out terror victim families and forward their Job-appointment related cases to the Government Administration Department.

Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Nalin Prabhat, DGP; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Bhim Sen Tuti, IGP Jammu; Tejinder Singh, DIG Rajouri Poonch Range; Abhishek Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Rajouri; Ashok Kumar Sharma, Deputy Commissioner, Poonch; Krishnakumar S. Devan, CEO, HRDS India, Ravinder Raina, former MLA and senior BJP Leader; senior officials of police and civil administration, prominent citizens and people from all walks of life attended the foundation laying ceremony.

Jammu, Nov 21: The administration on Friday undertook a massive anti-encroachment drive on over 16 acres of prime land worth crores of rupees in the outskirts of Jammu city, officials said.

Over 10 structures have been demolished so far by the administration amid heavy security measures, officials said.

Taking action against the massive encroachments of prime land belonging to the state and Jammu Development Authority (JDA), men and machines of the revenue department, aided by a large number of police and central paramilitary forces, launched a drive to free 130 kanals of encroached land in the Sikanderpur area of Bishnah tehsil, officials added.

The estimated cost of the land is valued between Rs 50 and Rs 60 crore.

The retrieved land, falling under Khasra Nos 308, 389 and 2206 had been under illegal occupation for a long period, with several unlawful structures raised by land encroachers, including individuals booked under the NDPS Act, they said.

The drive was carried out on the directions of District Magistrate Jammu, Dr Rakesh Minhas, in coordination with Senior Superintendent of Police Jammu, Joginder Singh. So far, over 15 structures have been demolished as the drive is underway, they said.

The police and revenue agencies are investigating how certain individuals are being used to grab land and then sell it to people coming from outside Jammu, resulting in illegal colonies on government land.

Additionally, authorities are contemplating that all houses and buildings constructed on state and JDA land without building permissions will not receive power and water connections, besides other government facilities.

The Jammu district is facing major encroachments of its state and JDA land worth crores of rupees, measuring over 10,000 kanals.

Over the past few months, the JDA and the administration have launched massive anti-encroachment drives to retrieve their land in Jammu city.

Poonch, Nov 21: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday announced a major rehabilitation initiative for border residents, confirming the construction of 133 new houses for families affected by Pakistani shelling in Poonch district.

Speaking during his visit, the LG said the administration has been consistently standing with those who suffered losses due to cross-border shelling.

He said that out of 14 severely affected families, government jobs have already been provided to 13 families during the visit of the Union Home Minister, while one child has been issued an assurance letter for future assistance.

Sinha said that although SDRF relief and central financial aid were provided earlier including Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1 lakh for damaged houses, which he stated was insufficient for full reconstruction.

He stated that the Human Resource Development Society (HRDS), a reputed social service organisation, has stepped in to construct the 133 permanent houses at a cost of around Rs 10 lakh each, ensuring safe and dignified living for the victims.

“As you can see, the work has been completed within six months. This is timely, secure and compassionate rehabilitation — development with a human touch,” the LG said.

During the visit, senior officials including J&K Police Chief Nalin Prabhat and IGP Kashmir accompanied the LG and reviewed the overall security situation in the region.

The officials also distributed relief materials to the civilians affected during Operation Sindoor, assuring that all damaged residential structures will be rebuilt without delay—(KNO)