Jammu: Almost after around seven years, the victims of 2014 flood victims of Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir have got their ‘dream houses’, constructed by the RITES on the recommendations of the Union Minister in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, who is also sitting Member Parliament from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda Constituency.
Pertinently, 40 people got buried under the debris due to landslides hit remote village Sadal in the mountainous district.
Taking to micro-blogging site, Dr Singh has said that through voluntary efforts of the MP Team, over 10 ‘Pakka Houses’ delivered in Sadal region of district #Udhampur after construction and several more will soon be delivered to the beneficiaries. #JammuAndKashmir.
“As many as ten beneficiaries have been handed over the ‘Pakka House’ (concrete structure) in village Sadal and many more to be constructed,” an official here told UNI.
He said that the total expenditure of these ten houses was Rs 50 lakhs, which was spent out of CRF of RITES.
“Each house has a room, kitchen, verandah and a separate washroom and in the second phase, ten more such structures will be coming up in the village,” he asserted.
The official further said that post floods, the Union Minister reviewed the situation and after holding consultations with the residents, it was decided to construct 20 houses for ‘very poor’ who wanted to live in the village and others were provided shelters in other parts of district.
Sharing details, Dr Singh also tweeted that in 2014 floods, several houses washed away in Sadal region of district Udhampur and through the voluntary efforts of the MP Team, a series of houses are under construction worth around Rs 50 lakhs.
“Already 10 houses have been handed over to beneficiaries till now,” he mentioned.
The official further said that Sadal Village was washed out during September 2014 and that time a number of social organizations came forward to help the residents on the request of Dr Singh.
“A PMGSY road was also sanctioned and work was taken up for completion, which was required to make a service line for any development work to be carried,” he expressed.
He said that Rs One crore was arranged from other sources to rebuilt the houses for the people, who lost their houses during landslide due to heavy rains and added, “JK Bank adopted the village and along with CSIR IIM Jammu gave plants of aromative nature to increase the income of the village.”
This village was never taken as SAGY (Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojna), he said.
“Had there been better road connectivity, the construction of these houses would not have been delayed. The work expedited with the construction of the road and finally, ten houses (concrete) have been completed and handed over to the beneficiaries,” he said.
