SRINAGAR, JUNE 2: Chief Secretary, B R Sharma Thursday chaired the wrap up meeting with the visiting World Bank team for starting the execution phase of Rs 1500 crore Jhelum & Tawi Flood Recovery Project.

The World Bank team is headed by Saurabh Dani, Senior Disaster Management Specialist & Task Team Leader. Financial Commissioner, Planning, Monitoring and Development Department, B B Vyas, Commissioner Secretary, H&UD, Hirdesh Kumar, Secretary, Health, Mandeep Bhandari and other officers were also present in the wrap up meeting.

The project will support the recovery and increase disaster resilience in the affected districts including Srinagar and increase the over all capacity of the State Government and local communities to respond promptly and effectively to emergency situations created due to floods, earthquakes or any other natural disaster.

“Idea is to enhance the capacity in all respects and we will also be providing the necessary technical assistance for the purpose” Mr Dani said adding that State Government needs to operationalize the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), besides it can also look into setting up Telemetric Weather Stations that will allow the State to monitor weather data real time.

Mr Dani also shared with the Chief Secretary the observations made by the team during their visit to Bone & Joints hospital, Silk Factory and various drainage pumping stations in Srinagar City.

Chief Secretary assured the World Bank team that State Government is already working on the plan as spelt out in the recovery project and all necessary institutional and implementation arrangements including staffing in Project Management Units and Project Implementing Entities will be in place to ensure that project execution starts and moves ahead as envisaged.

The World Bank Team also held an interactive meeting with Chief Minister, Ms Mehbooba Muftion Wednesday in which She had said that Government’s first priority is to put in place a comprehensive flood and disaster management mechanism in the State.