The central government has agreed to provide a special package for rebuilding 1,500 to 2,000 houses damaged during the recent India-Pakistan confrontation.
The shelling followed Operation Sindoor, launched by the Indian Air Force against targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local horse ride operator.
This was stated by Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly and senior BJP leader, during a press conference in Jammu.
Sharma said the relief package will go beyond the current State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) limits. The financial aid will be transferred directly to the bank accounts of affected families through Direct Benefit Transfers (DBTs).
“We have received assurance from the Government of India that the amount will be disbursed quickly through DBTs. This will help people rebuild their homes and return to normal life,” he said.
A five-member BJP committee, set up by the party’s central leadership, visited the worst-affected border areas for ten days to assess the damage. The team submitted its report to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir.
The committee recommended that the government immediately build more individual and community bunkers along the border to protect civilians during future shelling.
It also suggested that government jobs be provided to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the shelling.
Lastly, the committee urged the Centre to increase compensation for damaged houses, going beyond the existing SDRF limit of Rs 1.2 lakh.
“There is no clear policy for property damage compensation under the current rules, which has created concern among the affected people,” Sharma said. “We have formally requested the Centre to revise these guidelines.”
The committee found that 690 houses were damaged in Poonch and 534 in Uri, totalling between 1,500 and 2,000 homes across Jammu and Kashmir. The shelling also caused the deaths of 18 civilians—14 in Poonch, and others in Rajouri, Uri and Nagrota. Six security personnel also lost their lives.
Sharma said the local people, though in grief, praised the strong and timely response by the Indian forces. “It was heartening to see their courage despite their loss,” he said.
He confirmed that the process of giving government jobs to the families of the deceased has begun, and surveys for new bunkers along the border are already under way.