LG Manoj Sinha: New Homes for 344 Families in J&K’s Kathua | Rebuilding After Disaster It is a matter of great pleasure and pride for me to be present among you all on this historic land of Kathua, said the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha. After the terrible natural disaster in August, I can say that today the entire administration is present among you all with the belief that no matter how big the challenge is, our steps will continue to move forward. We all share the grief of those who lost their loved ones in that devastating disaster, LG spoke. First of all, I pay tribute to those who left us untimely and express my deepest condolences to their family. The devastation was widespread, with thousands of homes completely destroyed. Poor families had to bear the brunt of nature’s fury those who needed the most help to get back on their feet. We all know that the compensation amount for natural disaster is not enough to build a new house, LG said. Today, the foundation stone of new houses was laid for 344 affected families of Kathua district. You all know that not a single penny of the government is being spent on it. HRDS India is covering all the expenses. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Srimath Swami Atma Nambi, and his organisation on behalf of all of you. The decision was to rebuild houses for those whose homes were destroyed during Operation Sindoor. Meanwhile, a natural disaster struck a place near Machail Mata and many houses in that village were destroyed. Then we all witnessed the devastation caused by landslides and floods, especially in the entire Jammu region. In the First Phase: an MoU was signed by HRDS with Divisional Commissioner Jammu and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir in which it was decided that 1500 houses will be built in the first phase. All of the homes to be built in Kathua will be three-bedroom, fully furnished homes. Each home will be built using a modern design so that every family living there can live comfortably, safely and peacefully. This organisation has set a deadline of six months from the foundation stone laying ceremony to complete these houses and hand them over to the affected families. HRDS India will also provide free health check-up to every member of the family every year. And in areas where connectivity is available, internet facility will also be provided in all the houses being built. Prime Minister of India Shri Modi ji and Home Minister of India Honourable Amit Shah ji were constantly in touch with me regarding Jammu Kashmir and were giving instructions to the administration. The Government of India was also continuously monitoring the situation to ensure that every family gets relief and proper rehabilitation. Today, on this occasion, I wish that all the affected families of Kathua can stand on their feet with new strength. Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 97 roads and 25 bridges have been constructed in Kathua in the last five years at a cost of Rs 550 crore. About 800 km of rural roads could be constructed. All these projects have brought economic prosperity to 153 villages of Kathua district. And now they are able to easily avail the health facilities in cities. Around 14277 houses for the poor have been built by the Jammu and Kashmir administration in the last four years with the help of the Government of India under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin at a cost of approximately 185 crore rupees. All these figures are a testimony to the fact that in the last five years, many decisions have been taken for the development of Kathua district which are dedicated to all-round inclusive development. Everyone should have the same goal, everyone should have the same resolve, every resident of Jammu and Kashmir should be able to move forward with self-respect, LG said congratulating and wishing all the beneficiaries who got houses.
