Jammu January 01, 2026:- In a high-profile press conference at the BJP headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, senior leader and MLA Sham Lal Sharma, alongside National Secretary Dr. Narinder Singh and several other MLAs, expressed profound gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning a ₹1,430 crore Special Central Assistance package for Jammu & Kashmir.
This targeted capital investment is earmarked for the restoration of public infrastructure decimated by the catastrophic flash floods and torrential rains that struck the region in August 2025.
The disaster caused widespread destruction to essential assets, including bridges, water supply systems, and educational institutions across Jammu, Samba, Reasi, and Kishtwar.
Sharma noted that this package, which is separate from the regular Union Budget, was approved following a rigorous damage assessment by BJP teams and direct intervention by the Union Home Minister and Finance Minister.
Of the total sanctioned amount, ₹944 crore has already been released as the initial installment under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), with ₹758 crore already utilized for on-ground project execution.
The recovery plan includes 222 major projects spread across 27 government departments, all of which are slated for completion between January and August 2026. The BJP leadership emphasized that the central government is maintaining daily oversight through the Finance Department to ensure transparency and prevent any delays in the restoration of vital services in the worst-hit districts.
However, the press conference also served as a stern warning to the National Conference (NC)-led administration. Sham Lal Sharma accused the Omar Abdullah government of past “administrative failure” and discrimination, alleging that a previous SDRF release of ₹209 crore was arbitrarily distributed across unaffected districts rather than being focused on the Jammu region’s disaster zones.
Issuing an unequivocal caution, Sharma stated that every rupee of the new ₹1,430 crore allocation belongs strictly to the disaster-hit victims of Jammu. He would strongly oppose any attempt to divert or mismanage these recovery funds, holding the Chief Minister directly accountable for ensuring fair and judicious utilization.
