Jammu, May 26: Central government has in principle agreed for a special package for the reconstruction of 1500-2000 houses and other structures damaged in Pak shelling through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) to the affected people.
This has been revealed by the Leader of Opposition in J&K Legislative Assembly and the former minister Sunil Sharma, while addressing a press conference at BJP headquarter in Jammu.
ìJ&K BJP 5-member committee, constituted by the central party leadership to assess damages in Pak shelling, has, in consideration of affected border residentsí concern, recommended the Government of India to grant a special package encompassing suitable amount, moving beyond existing (SDRF) norms, to enable them (people) to reconstruct their damaged houses, numbering between 1500-2000,î he said.
ìIn principle, we have received an assurance by the Government of India that such amount would be expeditiously disbursed through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) to the affected in their account so that they can resume their normal lives yet again,î LoP revealed.
J&K BJP general secretary Sunil Sharma was accompanied by MLAs Narinder Singh, BJP national secretary; Sham Lal Sharma, J&K BJP vice president and R S Pathania, J&K BJP spokesperson during the press conference. Pardeep Mahotra, media in-charge, J&K BJP was also present on the occasion.
LoP said, ìThe BJP committee, comprising 5 MLAs, has already submitted its report comprising three key demands to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir.î
According to him, the committee recommendations included immediate construction of more bunkers (both individual and community) to ensure civilian safety; government jobs for families that lost a member due to shelling and increased compensation for damaged homes beyond the existing limit of Rs 1.2 lakh under SDRF norms.
The committee also recommended the disbursal through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs) to ensure efficient and immediate disbursal of aid.
Sunil Sharma said that the BJPís central leadership had constituted a committee to assess the extent of civilian loss and damage due to Pakistani shelling amid ëOperation Sindoorí and prepare a detailed report.
He stated that the committee comprising Sham Lal Sharma; Dr Narinder Singh; Dr Devinder Kumar Manyal; R S Pathania besides him (LoP) visited all major affected border areas in Hiranagar; Suchetgarh; Arnia; RS Pura; Chhamb; Pallanwala; Akhnoor; Rajouri; Nowshera; Poonch; Mendhar; Surankote and Uri. The committeeís visit finally culminated on May 24 at Tangdhar.
The findings of the committee, according to him, included fourteen civilian deaths in Poonch; two in Rajouri; one each in Uri and Nagrota while few lives were lost in the chaos.
ìThe committee, which visited border areas for around ten days and assessed ground situation, found that there was widespread damage to property with 690 houses damaged in Poonch; 534 in Uri thus 1500 to 2000 houses affected overall across J&K,î he said.
Sunil Sharma said that the local population, though grieving, expressed satisfaction with the swift, firm and valorous response of Indian forces forcing Pakistan to kneel down.
ìIt was heartening that amidst their losses, the civilians in these border areas enthusiastically shared with us that it (Indian forces action) was unprecedented as it was not war but an apt response to a reprehensible terrorist act. They saluted Indian Armed Forces for that, notwithstanding their (border residents) own sufferings, the Leader of Opposition said.
He pointed out many residents acknowledged that existing community bunkers helped save lives, though there was an urgent need to construct additional individual and community bunkers along the border.
As soon as J&K BJP approached the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) with the requisition for immediate more community and individual bunkers. Immediate instructions from the top (MHA) were issued in this connection. The (J&K) administration on the ground has presently started this exercise of survey for immediate construction of individual bunkers across the border area. God forbid, if in the future, any such exigency emerges again, there should be sufficient bunkers so that our border residents donít suffer. The border residents have extended gratitude that the exercise has already begun with the conduct of surveys,î the BJP leader said.
Secondly, he shared, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, while asserting that nothing could ever compensate for human lives, had taken a decision to provide a job to the Next of Kin of those who lost their lives in the shelling so as to ensure means of livelihood for the bereaved families.
Following it, it was announced by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as well.
ìThis exercise (government job to NoK) has already begun. I believe the related file has been submitted to GAD and very soon, the NoK of those killed in shelling will get a government job. The government has already disbursed Rs 6 lakh from the Ministry of Home Affairs under SRE and Rs 10 lakh from the UT government as ex-gratia relief for bereaved families has also been announced. Assistance to the injured has also been provided as per MHA instruction, LoP said.
ìHowever, compensation for property damage including houses and commercial structures remains inadequate. There is no fixed criterion available with the J&K Government on this account beyond the existing limit of Rs 1.2 lakh under SDRF norms. People were worried on this account. But the BJP committee, as per its assurance to them (border residents) has formally requested that revised guidelines be introduced to address this gap,î Sunil Sharma informed.
Earlier, the Leader of Opposition in J&K Legislative Assembly Sunil Sharma Monday stated that the high-level committee comprising senior BJP leaders visited the shelling-hit villages to assess the damages to life and property and outlined the partyís assessment of civilian losses and ongoing relief efforts in border areas affected by Pakistan shelling.
He expressed profound grief and condemnation over the inhuman Pakistan-sponsored terrorist attack in Pahalgam, where 26 innocent civilians were killed. The attack was particularly disturbing, as the terrorists targetted male family members after identifying them based on religion, LoP said.
This gruesome act, he said, ìstands as one of the most horrifying terror crimes committed in Jammu and Kashmir in the last 36 years of terrorism.î
In a resolute and strategic response to the Pahalgam attack, Indian security forces launched Operation Sindoor on the night of May 6 and 7, 2025.
ìThe Indian Armed Forces had clarified that the operation was meticulously designed to be non-escalatory, non-civilian and non-military in nature, focusing exclusively on neutralizing terrorist infrastructure. The operation resulted in the elimination of over 100 terrorists and dismantling of nine major terror hideouts,î LoP said.
Despite the targeted and controlled nature of the operation, the Pakistan Army retaliated unreasonably, launching indiscriminate shelling on civilian areas along the border. This led to significant loss of life and destruction of homes, livestock, and agricultural assets, he said.
In response to Pakistans aggression, Indian forces undertook a historic counter-strike, which resulted in the destruction of 11 Pakistani airbases and military establishments. This strong action compelled Pakistan to seek a ceasefire. Demonstrating strategic restraint, the Indian Army temporarily withheld further action under Operation Sindoor, placing a clear condition: any future act of terror will be treated as an act of war, and consequences will be far more severe,î LoP said.
The operation also represented a diplomatic victory for India, reinforcing its global position on counter-terrorism while avoiding full-scale military escalation, he said.
LoP reiterated the party’s commitment to the safety, security and dignity of all residents living in border areas.
