J&K govt to provide 5-marla land to flood-affected families: Omar

Assuring people of all possible assistance, Omar directed the administration to ensure timely relief and rehabilitation measures

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday conducted an aerial survey of flood affected Kathua district and assured to provide five marla land to flood affected homeless and landless families.

The chief minister highlighted the scale of destruction, noting that torrential rains have damaged over 350 bridges, around 2,000 km of road network, thousands of hectares of agricultural land, besides washing away standing crops and inflicting damages on both government and private buildings. (File)

“There has been widespread damage during rains in August. Houses, farms, lands, roads and other infrastructure suffered extensive damage. We will try for optimum assistance from the Centre,” he said.

“The government has decided to provide five marlas of land each to all flood-affected families who have been rendered homeless and have suffered both on account of their houses destroyed and left without land due to landslides and flashfloods which has taken away their everything so that they are able to construct their dwelling units on the allotted land,” he added.

Assuring people of all possible assistance, Omar directed the administration to ensure timely relief and rehabilitation measures. “The year 2025 has brought immense devastation to Jammu and Kashmir—from the dry spell in March-April to incessant rains, flash floods, and landslides in August-September,” he said. “From Kathua to Kupwara, the damage has been unprecedented.”

The chief minister highlighted the scale of destruction, noting that torrential rains have damaged over 350 bridges, around 2,000 km of road network, thousands of hectares of agricultural land, besides washing away standing crops and inflicting damages on both government and private buildings.

“Given the enormity of restoration challenges, J&K is looking forward to a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package from the Central Government,” he added.

Emphasising the importance of first-hand assessment, Omar said his visit to the remote and isolated areas of Kathua was aimed at understanding the ground realities. He also undertook an aerial survey of damages in Hiranagar and Lakhanpur, the entry point of Jammu and Kashmir.