Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo convened a meeting with the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction (DMRR&R) to assess progress on migrant relief and disaster preparedness in Jammu and Kashmir.
Migrant Relief and Rehabilitation:
- Dulloo emphasized strict adherence to timelines for all migrant relief measures.
- He reviewed the construction of 6,000 transit accommodations for Kashmiri Pandit employees under the PM Package, demanding immediate allotment of completed flats and swift completion of associated infrastructure.
- He stressed the importance of ensuring migrant families are included under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and receive related benefits like pensions, marriage assistance, scholarships, and Ayushman Bharat Gold Cards.
- Dulloo mandated improvements to the “Kashmiri Migrant Grievance” portal and the appointment of regional Nodal Officers to expedite grievance resolution.
- He ordered the digitization of all migrant records and an update of the Relief Organization website for improved efficiency and accessibility.
- Progress on outreach campaigns for PoJK and West Pakistani Refugees (WPRs) was reviewed, along with the status of infrastructure projects like the “PoJK Bhawan.”
- The meeting was informed that of the 6000 PM package jobs, 5868 have been filled, and of the 5632 flats being constructed, 3152 have been completed.
- The relief commissioner explained the current relief being given to migrants, including food and cash assistance.
Disaster Management Preparedness:
- Dulloo urged the department to enhance disaster response capabilities, emphasizing the optimal use of the Emergency Operation Centre (EOC).
- He stressed the importance of using data from mountainous lake expeditions to prevent Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) and called for increased training of students and volunteers for relief efforts.
- The Principal Secretary, DMRR&R, outlined the department’s activities, including strengthening disaster management systems, updating District Disaster Management Plans (DDMPs), and implementing the PM’s “Ten Point Agenda on DRR.”
- He highlighted the development of hazard-specific plans, including those for heat waves, floods, and cold waves, as well as landslide studies.
- The meeting was informed that an EOC in Ompura, Budgam, would be operational by the end of the month, and the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) with the 112 toll-free number had been launched.
- The department also discussed the progress of the IDIN resource mapping program, and the common alert protocol (CAP).
- The current status of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) was also discussed.
Key Attendees:
- Principal Secretary, Home and DMRR&R Departments
- Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir/Jammu
- Secretary, PWD
- CEO, SHA
- Relief Commissioner
- Chief Engineers of PWD
- Other concerned officers and officials.
