Srinagar, Sep 26: The Jammu and Kashmir government has released Rs 7 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for relief and restoration in flood- and landslide-affected areas of Rajouri and Poonch, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Friday.
Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary said Rs 3 crore had been released to Rajouri and Rs 4 crore to Poonch under SDRF. The government has also sought the deputation of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) from the Ministry of Home Affairs to assess the damage caused by flash floods, cloudbursts, heavy rains and landslides during the 2026 monsoon.
Replying to questions and Calling Attention Motions in the House, Choudhary said an additional Rs 5 crore each had been provided under the UT Capex Budget for Rajouri and Poonch for priority restoration and reconstruction of damaged infrastructure.
“Rs 300 lakh had been released to Rajouri and Rs 400 lakh to Poonch under SDRF, while Rs 281 lakh and Rs 137 lakh respectively had been released under the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF),” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said the government had taken up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs for an IMCT to conduct an on-ground assessment of the damage across Jammu and Kashmir.
“An existing mechanism involving concerned departments and district administrations is already in place for coordinated assessment, restoration and rehabilitation of affected infrastructure and essential services,” Choudhary said.
Roads, power, water schemes hit in Rajouri, Poonch
Giving details of the damage, Choudhary said 182 roads, 25 HT poles/33 KV line infrastructure, 70 transformers, 72 drinking-water schemes, 51.98 hectares of agricultural land, 1.90 hectares of horticulture land and 149 houses were affected in the Thanamandi constituency.
In Poonch district, 388 roads, 55 bridges, 29 power stations/transformers, 72 drinking-water schemes, 217.7 hectares of agricultural land and 379 houses were affected.
The final damage assessment for Thanamandi was pegged at Rs 13,025.94 lakh for roads and bridges, Rs 1,360.43 lakh for power infrastructure, Rs 4,149 lakh for water supply schemes and Rs 6,024 lakh for khuls, the House was told.
For Rajouri district, the total assessment stood at Rs 46,022.57 lakh, including Rs 18,517.50 lakh for roads and bridges, Rs 3,144.32 lakh for power infrastructure and Rs 24,360.75 lakh for water supply schemes.
For Poonch, the assessment was Rs 18,185.95 lakh for roads and bridges, Rs 233.75 lakh for power infrastructure, Rs 2,315.07 lakh for water supply schemes and Rs 186.97 lakh for khuls.
On relief to affected families, Choudhary said Rs 75.52 lakh had been provided to 149 families in Thanamandi under SDRF norms, while Rs 120.50 lakh was disbursed to 138 families under the CMRF.
In Poonch, Rs 216.379 lakh had been disbursed to affected families under SDRF.
Permanent restoration works underway
Replying to a question by MLA Shakti Raj Parihar, the Deputy Chief Minister said restoration of infrastructure damaged by flash floods and cloudbursts across Jammu and Kashmir was underway.
He said roads and water-supply schemes affected during 2025-26 had been temporarily restored, while permanent restoration works were in progress.
“Infrastructure affected during 2026-27 had also been partially restored, with permanent restoration works being taken up in all affected districts,” he said.
Choudhary said financial assistance admissible under SDRF norms was being provided to affected people, while additional assistance was being extended under the CMRF to families whose residential structures were damaged.
In Kishtwar, Rs 1 lakh each was provided to 16 households whose houses were damaged in the Chishoti cloudburst during 2025-26, while Rs 25,000 each was provided to three partially damaged houses.
For 2026-27, Rs 108 lakh had been released under CMRF in Poonch for 87 beneficiaries, while Rs 281 lakh had been released in Rajouri for 377 beneficiaries whose structures were damaged.
Hailstorm-hit farmers to receive assistance
The Deputy Chief Minister also said eligible farmers affected by the hailstorm that hit parts of Srigufwara and Bijbehara during the intervening night of September 18 and 19 would receive financial assistance.
Replying to a Calling Attention Motion moved by MLA Dr Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri, Choudhary said a preliminary assessment had found damage to 83.5 hectares of agricultural land belonging to 415 farmers.
Paddy crop damage in several areas was assessed at 70 to 95 percent, with the highest losses reported from Trai-Sakhras and Hanumanpora.
“In the horticulture sector, preliminary damage of 5 to 15 percent was reported from Hafizabad, Arwani, Rakh Moman, Marhama, T.M. Shah, Semthan, Baliyar, Trail, Hanumanpora, Adlash and Chandpora,” he said.
Choudhary said farmers covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) would receive settlements from designated insurance companies after verification.
Eligible farmers who were not enrolled under the scheme, he said, could receive compensation under SDRF norms.
He added that field agencies had been directed to complete the assessment and verification of crop losses so that eligible farmers could receive relief under the prescribed provisions.
