The Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, today chaired a meeting to review functioning of the Disaster Management, Relief, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Department (DMRRR) in Jammu and Kashmir.Administrative Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Department, Managing Director, JKPCC, Commissioner, Relief and concerned officers participated in the meeting.It was informed that under the Sendai framework for Disaster Management, the National Disaster Management Authority has extended a financial support of Rs. 55.85 lakh to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, to align the State Disaster Management Plan in accordance to the Sendai framework; compile data on Sendai framework indicators; train officials for capacity building; and coordinate with other bodies for effective disaster mitigation.Under the Aapda Mitra Scheme, 212 volunteers have been trained in Srinagar City on a pilot basis, which will be further up-scaled to include 13 more districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
For this purpose a MoU has been signed with the National Disaster Management Authority which will be providing a financial assistance of Rs. 8.80 crore. The Chief Secretary impressed upon the Department to focus on convergence between the Disaster Management Department and the Civil Defence. The Chief Secretary further underscored the importance of conducting regular mock exercises and drills in districts for raising awareness on various disasters like floods, earthquakes, landslides, cloud bursts, among others. “During COVID times, special focus must be led on e-training modules and certifications to strive for better disaster preparedness and mitigation”, Dr. Mehta said.The Chief Secretary asked the Department to put in place a robust disaster response mechanism by integrating disaster-related information and assistance with the Emergency Response Support System (helpline 112).With regard to the National Seismic Risk Mitigation Programme to reduce vulnerability of communities and assets to earthquakes, the Chief Secretary directed completion of retrofitting of priority facilities and infrastructure within one year.
Further, the Chief Secretary also reviewed the progress on the upcoming transit accommodation for Kashmiri Migrants across the Kashmir valley under the Prime Ministers Development Package (PMDP). The Department was asked to complete the phase-I of the project by June 2022 and Phase-II by December 2022.It was informed that the Department has distributed Rs. 11.27 crore as ex-gratia relief at the rate of Rs. 50,000 each to the next of kin of the 2254 victims of COVID-19.It was further informed that the DMRRR is extending relief to 10.364 Kashmiri Migrants families and 868 Jammu Migrants families, besides organizing Jan Sunvayi and Jan Adhikar camps for registering relief migrants for various welfare schemes.Moreover, a special drive for the enrollment of the Kashmiri Migrant under Ayushman Bharat Scheme was also organized and a grievance redressal system for Kashmir Migrants Immovable Properties/ Community Assets related issues was recently launched.