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Jammu, Oct 4 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Government will initiate a massive infrastructure development to ensure emergence of last year's earthquake-hit areas as ideal habitations, Chief Minsiter Ghulam Nabi Azad today said.
Addressing a public gathering at Gulpur maidan near Poonch, the Chief Minister announced the disbursement of final instalment of Rs 60,000 each for construction of structure in last year's quake-hit areas with clear instructions for completion by the end of November.
Measured 7.6 on Richter scale, the earthquake on October 8 last year killed nearly 1,300 people -- in the areas bordering Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir -- while leaving millions homeless.
Mr Azad said he had been informed that 90 per cent of houses had been completed and the remaining 10 per cent would be completed by November.
After completion of the houses, he said, massive work for reconstruction of all developmental infrastructure including Hospitals, Roads, Lanes, Drains and other civic amenities will be taken up.
In the first stage, Mr Azad said, Rs 40,000 were provided to the earthquake affected people followed by another Rs 30,000 and a special incentive of Rs 5,000 for those who completed their temporary shelter sheds within a definite timeframe last year.
He also inspected the newly constructed houses and other structures and interacted with those affected.
''On an average, each earthquake-affected family received Rs 1.35 lakh which is the highest compensation given so far in such natural calamities in the entire country,'' he told reporters.
The cash disbursement is touching Rs 422 crore which is in addition to other kinds of relief and special package provided to the earthquake affected people, he added Mr Azad said it was with the full cooperation of the Central Government that ''unprecedented steps were taken in providing full relief to the people.'' ''Jammu and Kashmir is the first state in the country which got such a huge relief and cash assistance from the Central Government in the aftermath of earthquake,'' he added.
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