Minister Sharma calls for swift relief, restoration measures

Jammu, Aug 30: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, Satish Sharma, on Saturday undertook an extensive tour of flood-affected areas of Jammu district to take stock of the situation and review the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the aftermath of recent floods.Accompanied by senior officers of district administration, officials from the Food & Civil Supplies, Transport, PHE, PDD, RDD and allied departments, the Minister visited low-lying and worst-hit localities, interacted with the flood victims, and assessed the extent of damage caused to residential houses, agricultural fields, public utilities and road networks.Expressing solidarity with the distressed families, the minister conveyed deep concern over the hardships faced by the people and assured them of unwavering government support in this hour of crisis. He directed the administration to provide immediate relief in the form of rations, clean drinking water, medicines, and temporary shelter facilities to all affected families.Sharma instructed the Food & Civil Supplies department to keep adequate stocks of ration and essentials available in every affected area and to ensure uninterrupted supply chains, especially to the remote and cut-off pockets. He directed the Transport department to restore road connectivity on a war footing so that relief material and essential services reach the people without delay.Taking a serious view of the damage caused to public infrastructure, the minister asked officials of the concerned departments to prepare a comprehensive assessment report of losses for immediate submission to the government, so that adequate compensation and rehabilitation packages can be extended to the affected families at the earliest.Sharma stressed the importance of inter-departmental coordination among the Civil Supplies, Health, PHE, PDD, Rural Development, and Transport departments for providing timely relief and effective restoration of services. He called for ensuring special attention to vulnerable groups, including women, children, elderly, and the specially-abled, during the relief and rehabilitation process.Interacting with local representatives and community members, the minister appreciated the efforts of the district administration, police, and volunteers who have been working tirelessly in carrying out rescue and relief operations. He urged them to continue their dedicated service until full normalcy is restored.Reaffirming the government’s commitment, Sharma assured that all possible measures will be taken to mitigate the suffering of the people, and long-term rehabilitation and flood-prevention measures will also be initiated.