The Centre on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 50 crore for Jammu and Kashmir [Images] for rescue and relief operations in the valley hit by heavy snowfall and avalanches.

Home Minister Shivraj Patil sanctioned the amount from the Calamity Relief Fund after the state government made a request, an official said.

The Centre also asked the state authorities to utilise Rs 74 crore of the Rs 78 crore given by it for Security Related Expenditure, which was lying unutilised, he said.

Patil is scheduled to visit Srinagar [Images] on Sunday for an assessment of the situation. A central team is also being despatched to Srinagar on the same day to assess the damage caused by snowfall and avalanches.

The 294-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only surface link between the valley and rest of the country, will be cleared by Border Roads Organisation by February 28, the official said.

He said 12 kilolitres each of petrol and kerosene and 4,200 liquefied petrol gas cylinders were being airlifted from Pathankot to Srinagar.