Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah hopes PM Narendra Modi will accept relief package proposal

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed hope that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would accept the package proposal submitted by the state to help in the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people and make an announcement in this regard on his Diwali visit on Thursday.

"We have submitted a package of about Rs 44,000 crores for some relief to the flood-affected people and we hope that if the PM is coming, and significantly coming on Diwali, we hope that this package is going to be accepted," Omar told reporters here.

The Chief Minister said he did not want to get into a political debate over the timing of the Prime Minister's visit as Modi was coming to express solidarity with the people of the state.

"The PM is coming on Diwali. I do not want to get into any sort of political debate on this issue by undermining this visit. The fact is that he is coming, he says he is coming to express solidarity with the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir. As I said, I hope that his visit means that the package is going to be accepted and announced," Omar said.

He said the relief of Rs 75,000, given by the state government to those whose houses were fully damaged due to the floods, was not an "absolute number" and the state would provide more once the Centre announces a package.

"Rs 75,000 is not an absolute number. I have always said that Rs 75,000 is a starting point. Nobody has said that this will be be-all and end-all.

"Please understand that we have projected Rs 9 lakh to Government of India for fully damaged structures and not Rs 75,000. Rs 75,000 is only to help people in these few months. We will get more money from GOI. Don't worry," he said.