Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Information Technology, Transport, Youth Services and Sports, Satish Sharma, today undertook an extensive tour of Samwan and Kharah Balli Blocks of Jammu district, besides Battal, Dhakhar, and Jogwan Panchayats to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of recent floods and assess the availability of essential commodities in these areas.
During the visit, the Minister interacted with the local residents and assured them that the Government is fully committed to provide them all necessary support during these testing times. He directed the officers of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and other concerned departments to ensure adequate stocks of ration, LPG, kerosene and other daily essentials are made available in affected areas without any delay.
The Minister further instructed the administration to adopt a proactive approach, keeping in view the challenges of connectivity and transportation caused by heavy rainfall and floods. He stressed that special attention should be given to vulnerable and low-lying areas, having less supply of essentials due to low accessibility during emergencies.
Satish Sharma also reviewed the status of relief distribution and directed that timely disbursement of aid must be ensured, with priority given to the worst-hit families. He emphasized that the government machinery should remain in full preparedness to tackle any eventuality and close coordination between civil administration, field functionaries, and local representatives is vital for effective response.
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister said, “The recent floods have caused immense difficulties to the people, but the Government stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them. It is our top priority to ensure that no household suffers due to the non-availability of essential items. All departments must work in synergy so that immediate relief and long-term solutions can be provided.”
He assured that steps will be taken to strengthen infrastructure and improve storage facilities in flood-prone and remote areas to minimize any disruptions in the future.
The Minister was accompanied by senior officers of district administration, who briefed him about the measures already taken and ongoing restoration measures.