Less than a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced additional compensation to the families whose houses in the border areas were damaged in Pakistan shelling post Operation Sindoor, Union home minister Amit Shah facilitated provision of release of Rs 25 crore from his ministry for as many as 2,060 houses. Similar compensation will also be provided in the border areas of Punjab.
This is in addition to the package which was given immediately after the residents were hit by shelling, firing and drone attacks from Pakistan. The entire package is in sharp contrast to what Pakistan in normal times earmarks in its budget for victims of disasters, leave alone expenditure on routine heads. India's 2024-25 budget at Rs 47.65 lakh crore is almost eight times larger than Pakistan's Rs 5.65 lakh crore.
Pakistan is also seen as having dependence on aid from outside for such victims or natural disasters on world aid bodies or other countries to meet the exigencies of humanitarian aid in contrast to India's sound and strong capabilities both on defense and domestic fronts. India's defense budget is nearly nine times that of Pakistan's, with India spending $86.1 billion in 2024 compared to Pakistan's $10.2 billion. This disparity reflects India's larger economy and focus on military modernization and indigenous production, while Pakistan faces economic constraints and relies more on foreign aid.
The Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Monday, “Following the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi regarding additional compensation for houses damaged in border areas, Shah ensured swift action by facilitating an additional provision of Rs 25 crore from the MHA for 2,060 houses.”
While inaugurating the Chenab railway bridge, the world’s highest single arch rail bridge, that completes the 272-km long Udhampur-Srinagar -Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) project, Modi said last Friday that stung by India’s Operation Sindoor, a desperate Pakistan attacked innocent people including children in Jammu and Poonch.As a special case, Modi announced additional compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each fully damaged house and Rs 1 lakh for each partially damaged house.
“The MHA has ensured swift implementation of this decision. Similar compensation will also be provided in the border areas of Punjab,” the ministry said on Monday. Following operation Sindoor, several incidents of cross border shelling were reported in border districts of Jammu and Kashmir.“Hundreds of families suffered due to cross border shelling on residential areas, schools, religious structures including gurudwaras, temples, mosques and commercial properties. The administration took proactive measures to anticipate possible events and ensure effective response.
A total of 3.25 lakh persons were evacuated from the border districts, out of which about 15,000 persons were accommodated in about 397 shelter sheds or accommodation centres equipped with facilities like food, water, health care, electricity etc,” MHA said.
It further said that 394 ambulances were deployed in all border districts to take patients to hospitals for treatment during the shelling, out of which 62 ambulances were deployed in Poonch district alone. “A total of 2,818 civil defence volunteers were also deployed for services related to health, fire and emergency services, livestock, essential supplies etc,” it added.
Earlier, Shah visited Poonch on May 29–30, during which he handed over appointment letters on compassionate grounds to the family members of those who lost their lives due to cross-border firing. “As per the norms, compensation for the damages caused by cross-border shelling was provided immediately,” MHA said.
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